ORGANISERS of a charity ball have been left counting the cost of the theft of one of their main advertising tools - a six-foot banner.

Five women from the Minehead area are behind the event, which will be held at the Beach Hotel in the town on September 18 to raise money for the Help the Heroes charity.

The friends managed to get three generic banners from the organisation which helps servicemen wounded in Britains current conflicts, with local firm Active Signs adding details of the ball on them free of charge.

But last weekend the banner which had been hung from a balcony outside the venue disappeared.

Now the women are hoping to shame the culprits into returning it.

The ball is the third of its kind staged by the women, with two previous events raising £10,000 for the Taunton-based cancer charity SURE.

Weve been shown so much good will by people and businesses in the area that for something as senseless as this to happen is really annoying, said spokesman Lez Collins.

Its probably the result of some drunken prank but as this was outside the venue itself, it was our main way of advertising the ball.

Its just left us feeling really angry and frustrated. Weve had a huge amount of things donated for the event, from the entertainment to some of the staff at the hotel who have agreed to work for nothing on the night.

People have been really generous but for someone to steal a banner that is so important in making sure we sell all the tickets is nothing but a mindless act of vandalism.

The friends are hoping their appeal will prick the conscience of the thief, or thieves, and are prepared to receive any anonymous tip-offs as to where the banner might be.

Meanwhile, their plans to make the ball a bumper fundraising success are moving forward.

The event will include live music from local bands Little Betty and Jack2Jack, a hot and cold buffet and a late licence.

Tickets, priced £25, are available from the Beach, the Britannia Inn, Alcombe and the Frock Exchange in Blenheim Road.

Anyone with information on the missing banner can call Lez on 0789 081 7542.

Photo: Steve Guscott