POLICE are investigating a theft at a hotel in Bournemouth in which two elderly women had all their possessions stolen whilst they were swimming in the pool.

The two individuals from the Bournemouth area had visited the Elstead Hotel in Boscombe early on June 1 to use the hotel’s indoor pool.

Whilst in the water, both women had all their belongings taken, including clothes, phones and car keys.

A police spokesman said: “Between 8.55am and 9.20am on Tuesday June 1, it is reported that two female victims had their bags stolen while they were using the facilities at the Elstead Hotel on Knyveton Road in Bournemouth.

“Officers are carrying out enquiries into the report. No arrests have been made at this time.”

A friend of the two victims, who also swims at the Elstead Hotel, said: “I have been going there for 20 years as they have got as very nice pool. These two ladies also go there, whom I have known for a long time.

“On Tuesday I parked my car and walked around the outside of the hotel to the gym and pool entrance and noticed that the door, which you usually have to use a card to open, had been propped open.

“The two ladies were standing at the front desk in their swimming costumes with towels wrapped around them talking to the manager.

“Everything of theirs had gone. All that was left was two pairs of shoes.”

The two victims had reportedly left their possessions in the changing room and not in the lockers provided, as they had previously unable to retrieve their belongings from the lockers, which were described as “very dodgy”.

The Boscombe resident says that she now doesn’t “feel safe” in returning to the hotel due to the lack of security.

She added: “I was just astonished that someone walking in off the street could come in and out so easily.

"From the roadside, you can’t actually see the entrance to the gym and pool area so how would he have known it was open.

"The line that the hotel will take is that they didn’t put their stuff in the lockers, but the lockers are very dodgy. They either don’t open or close or take your money.

“The hotel is lovely, everyone knows everyone there and you get to know people over the years, but it has been spoiled by this incident. I don’t feel safe going there now.”