ANGRY members of the Cradley community have started a new fund to replace a memorial bench which was stolen from Colley Gate.

‘Robbie’s Bench’, which honours local man Robbie Williams who died at the age of 46, had been pride of place outside Chainmakers Fish and Chip Shop for the past two months.

The bench was previously homed in Lye, where it sat for the past eight years.

But on Friday morning (June 15) it was discovered to have vanished, and Andrew Newton, owner of the fish and chip shop, believes a ‘gang of at least three or four people’ have taken it.

“It’s really disappointing that people would do this,” Andrew said. “I don’t understand why someone would want to steal a memorial bench, especially one which honours an extremely popular local man like Robbie.

“It’s such a heavy bench that there is no way that it could’ve been taken by one person. It took four of us 20 minutes to move it 20 yards!

“We’re all very upset and angry. The bench is a vital part in the regeneration of the local area.”

Local campaigner James Clinton is appealing for the public’s help in tracing the bench as the theft has left Robbie’s family “angry and devastated”.

He added: “The bench is so well used by everyone in the area that it can’t have been local people who’ve done it.

“The community has really come together on this. Robbie was also such a popular person in the area it makes the entire thing even more sickening.”

Money is currently being collected in the nearby Nisa shop, which is also owned by Andrew, to put towards a replacement bench.

James said: “Between local Cradley groups and businesses we are collecting for a new bench and we hope the community will get behind it and support it as much as they have the appeal for information.

“More than 42,000 people have seen the post which was put on the chip shops Facebook page, which goes to show how much the community have been angered by this.”

Donations towards the new memorial bench can be made in the charity collection boxes in the Colley Gate Nisa store.