Police have given an update on their investigation after a high street community centre's fundraising pot was allegedly stolen by a woman they fed.

The suspect walked into Ironworks in Southend High Street on Sunday October 15 and told the team she was "thirsty and hungry".

Staff gave her a bag full of food and a hot drink of which she ate outside the store, before allegedly using the same bag to come back inside and steal the full fundraising pot by the front till.

A female suspect was identified from CCTV evidence.

Essex Police has now confirmed officers from Southend community policing team arrested a 46-year-old woman in connection with the incident, after she was found in Westcliff yesterday (October 23).

She was later charged with offences of theft and breach of a criminal behaviour order.

The woman will appear in court today.

This was the second time one of the centre's pots had been stolen that week, as a Deliveroo driver brought one in which had been found in McDonald’s toilets.

Natalie Solomons, co-founder of Ironworks, said the theft had hit the charity hard and "every penny counts" as it "can't even afford the electricity bill this month, let alone the rent and rates for the next year".