POOLE’S popular RNLI lifeboat museum is facing at least a £1,000 repair bill after thieves stripped lead from the historic building’s roof.

The attack – the third time the charity building has been targeted for lead – has been described as “sickening” by RNLI volunteers.

Museum co-ordinator Brian Traves told the Daily Echo: “It is so frustrating as they are robbing people who risk their lives to save others at sea.”

Now the RNLI will be forced to use funds, which would be better spent maintaining frontline emergency cover, to make essential repairs to the building.

The museum, in the old lifeboat station at the east end of Poole Quay, was targeted sometime on Monday night or in the early hours.

RNLI volunteer coxswain Jonathan Clark said: “It is sickening that thieves have targeted us again.

“It means money that would have been spent on saving lives at sea will now have to be used to make these essential repairs.

“Our poor old lifeboat museum is looking worse for wear and it is in desperate need of a lick of paint, there will be no money for this.”

Mr Traves believes the thieves must have been disturbed, as some of the lead had been stacked up as if ready to be transported.

However, they did escape with around 12ft square of lead.

The museum, which is open every day and manned by volunteers, is home to the Dunkirk little ship and former Poole RNLI lifeboat Thomas Kirk Wright.

So far this year nearly 12,000 visitors have visited the museum. Souvenir sales and donations are a vital source of income for the Poole RNLI lifeboat station.