An infamous pub sign showing a woman trying to scrub a black baby white has been stolen.

Thieves struck at the Labour In Vain during the night and removed the sign from its outdoor mounting.

The sign, thought to date back almost 300 years, shows a woman scrubbing her baby.

On the other side, she is pictured scratching her head in frustration that he remains black.

It has been labelled racist by critics.

The pub, in Westergate Street, Westergate, near Bognor, is being refurbished and is under new management.

The new landlord Shaun Green said he had intended mounting the sign and displaying it inside the premises.

Constable Jackie Harding said the offenders damaged or even destroyed the sign when it was stolen overnight last Wednesday.

She said: "We found a lot of damage and debris from the sign where it had been pulled from its mounting."

Many locals believe the sign should stay but there have been attempts to have it taken down.

Campaigners from The Pub Sign Project said many people found the image offensive.

They wanted to design a new sign and exhibit the old one inside the pub with an explanation of its history.

The Countryside Agency's local heritage initiative pledged £25,000 to the project.

The Nationwide Building Society offered £5,000 and West Sussex County Council and Arun District Council pledged smaller grants.

The landlord at the time, Steve Bundock, said: "There is no way the sign is racist.

"We have a lot of black people in here and not one of them has found it offensive.

"If anything, it is the white woman who looks stupid.

"The sign is the only one of its kind in the country and is part of the area's history.

"The protesters raised their ideas and I said if they could convince the locals it should be changed, I would be in favour."

The project was eventually dropped, although fund-raisers insisted their campaign was not only to replace the sign but also to back events raising awareness of local history.

Police investigating the theft appealed for witnesses.

Anyone with information should contact Ms Harding at Arundel Police Station on 0845 6070 999.