THIEVES raided cars parked outside a Hampshire pub and stole Christmas presents that were about to be handed over.

Families were enjoying festive celebrations at the Haywain in Southampton Road, Bartley, on Monday evening when the culprits targeted several vehicles in the car park.

They made off with items including clothes, boxed wine and perfume.

Posting on social media one woman said both her daughters fell victim to the thieves, who broke into their cars and stole gifts they were about to give each other.

She added: "One lot was in the boot. The thieves smashed a back window, pulled the seat down and took the presents.

"After waiting for over two hours they were advised by staff that the police were 'too busy' to attend."

One of the victims added: "I'm now spending my Christmas buying more presents to replace what was stolen and trying to get hold of the insurance company to start the long-winded process of trying to regain some of our losses.

"Not the happy Christmas I had planned."

A woman who parked in a well-lit area near the pub's CCTV cameras, said: "The bottom end of the car park is dark and they managed to get all of them."

A fellow social media user added: "I hope it doesn’t put people off going to the Haywain as they give a good service at a very reasonable price. I doubt they will target the same place again."

A police spokesman said officers received a report that several vehicles outside the pub were broken into between 6.50pm and 7.20pm.

He added: "All officers on duty at the time were committed at other incidents. We made various attempts to source officers from outside the New Forest but there were none available.

"Our control room made multiple attempts to re-contact the person reporting the incidents to update them that we did not have any free officers to attend and that someone would be in contact with them in due course to follow up the reports."

The Haywain is owned by Mitchells & Butlers, which said: "We can confitrm there was an incident in the pub car park. We are fully co-operating with the police investigation.”

Anyone with information can contact Hampshire police by calling 101, quoting crime reference number 44210509007.