THE owners of a Herefordshire pub have said that they are heartbroken after cash was stolen by burglars.

A burglary was reported at the Inn on the Wye, Kerne Bridge, near Ross-on-Wye, on Tuesday (November 21), with the intruders having apparently struck overnight.

The pub landlords, Amit and Hema Joshi, said burglars forced entry before making off with £600 in cash and the CCTV hard drive that had recorded the incident.

Mr and Mrs Joshi told the Hereford Times: "The thief opened the key safe using a code, opened the front door, then kicked in the office door to access the cash float, tips and other cash payments. They took the CCTV hard drive to remove anything recorded. This has also rendered the CCTV useless and it needs replacing.

"It's heartbreaking, having only owned the property since October 27. We are now considering becoming card-only and also installing new security provisions.

"We are staying positive though and have great events, parties and Christmas dinners booked. We have a wonderful new chef, Scot Durham from the Cross Keys in Goodrich, and are excited about our new journey."

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The owners of the Inn on the Wye also run the Post Office in the Maltings, Ross-on-Wye.

The Post Office was forced to close the morning after the reported burglary as the owners dealt with the aftermath and spoke to the police.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "A burglary at the Inn on the Wye, a commercial property in Herefordshire, has been reported to us on November 21. Enquiries are ongoing."