BURGLARS smashed their way into a rugby club, flooded the place with booze and stole charity money.

The crooks forced open the main doors of Canvey Island rugby club before draining the optics of JD, Bacardi, Malibu and Cinzano. They also opened the tap on a barrel of Fosters, leaving the club flooded with beer.

They took a BT pay phone with £20 in it, a raffle box containing £500 and a horse sanctuary collection box, worth £40.

Club vice-chairman Richard Smith, 57, said: "What I think of these yobs is unprintable. We are a small club which struggles for funds to give a service to the community."

"They took a box of raffle tickets which had people's names on the back so we won't even know who bought tickets."

The theft happened at the weekend. Anyone with information should call PC Jamie Welsh on 0300 3334444.