A man has been arrested after a charity box filled with cash to help a tot fighting cancer was stolen.

NatWest in Rainham High Street is inundated with Ruby Young marketing and on a daily basis the family do their banking in-branch for the charity appeal.

However, last month a thief snatched one of the collection boxes and made off with what was believed to be about £150.

Ruby, three, has the aggressive cancer neuroblastoma and needs £500,000 for potentially lifesaving treatment in the USA which the NHS does not offer.

"I don’t understand how someone could do this. Ruby’s little face was on the box and on posters all around the bank" - Anita Marinelli

So far £390,000 has been raised, and every penny counts.

A police spokesman said on Tuesday: “A 25-year-old man from Chatham has been arrested in connection with the theft of a charity collection box from a High Street bank.”

Family friend and fundraising organiser Anita Marinelli said: “I don’t understand how someone could do this. Ruby’s little face was on the box and on posters all around the bank. It made me feel absolutely sick.

“It’s not a huge amount of money, but it’s just the thought that somebody could bring themselves to steal from a little girl who needs this money to save her life.

“Knowing someone has been arrested is a relief, hopefully we will get some justice for Ruby.”

Last week Ruby underwent a gruelling 12-hour operation to remove the tumour which had spread around her organs but it was complicated and the surgeon was forced to remove one of her kidney’s in the process.

After a stint in ICU Ruby has spent the past week in and out of hospitals, including the Royal Marsden and Medway Maritime.

Anita added: “Ruby isn’t coping that well and it’s just awful. She’s been throwing up and she has been shaking with the pain from her surgery.

"She climbed three stairs and couldn’t manage it and had to be carried. Ruby has higher dose chemo in less than two weeks which is apparently the worst bit.”

Anita also completed the KM Colour Run at the weekend and raised £950 for the toddler. “I got a real sense of achievement out of that. I’m not a runner, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Ruby.”

Visit Ruby's JUstGiving page or text RLYJ88 and the amount you wish to give to 70070.

There is more on the charity Colour Run in tomorrow's Medway Messenger.