A cafe owner bravely managed to stop a thief who tried to steal donations raised for a teenage girl’s life-saving cancer treatment by hiding them in his baby's pram.

Sandra Malho, owner of La Salle Verte in Cannon Street, Dover, spotted the thief conceal the charity tin behind a newspaper before swiping it from the counter and stashing it in the child's pram.

While customers rushed to block the door to the cafe, the owner managed to take back the money raised for Dover teen Kelly Turner, who is desperate to raise £1 million for cancer treatment in the US.

It happened this morning at about 10am and police are now investigating.

Ms Malho called the thief "disgusting" claiming she recognised him as the same person who stole other charity boxes from shops in the town last week.

Callum Lewis, who works in the cafe, said: “When she saw him, Sandra hid behind the counter and kept an eye on it. He put a newspaper over it and grabbed it. He had a baby in a pram and put it in there.

“A lot of customers stood in front of the door so he couldn’t get out. She grabbed the tin back and he legged it.”

As the thief had a baby, Mrs Malho said they should let him go so as not to upset the child.

Mr Lewis added: “I don’t know how you could sleep at night. It’s money to save a young girl’s life.”

The charity tin was full of kind donations, with one customer putting in a £20 note last week.

This comes less than a week after another fund for Kelly was stolen from Bank Street Newsagents in Hythe.

Martin Very, police press spokesman confirmed officers attended just before 10am.

He said: “Kent Police received a report of the attempted theft of a charity box from a café in Cannon Street, Dover.

“Police officers attended and enquiries are on-going.”

If anyone has any information they are asked to call police on 101.