A charity worker accused of stealing anonymous donations broke down in tears when she was cleared by a jury.

Susan Castle, 53, who is married with children, was charged with stealing from Sight Savers, an international charity based in Haywards Heath, where she worked for 28 years.

A jury at Lewes Crown Court heard how colleagues planted money in the post after becoming suspicious that anonymous cash donations sent to the charity's head office in Bolnore Road were going missing.

Envelopes containing cash and addressed to Sight Savers were found in Mrs Castle's bag when she was arrested outside the office. But the legacy officer, of Gatesmead, Haywards Heath, whose job was also to help open the post, told the jury she must have taken the cash by accident.

After considering its verdict for less than two hours, Mrs Castle was acquitted of six charges of theft.

Mrs Castle told the jury she took work home to clear backlogs during busy periods at the office, which can receive thousands of letters a day. She said she must have picked up the envelopes containing donations by accident.

She said: "I can only assume I scooped them up with my work for the legacy vouchers."