Around 500 Swiss francs (about €520 or £450) was taken from a donation box on the level 5 via ferrata — the highest ranking for “extremely difficult” routes.

The box, at an altitude of 2,350 metres, was smashed open by climbers who apparently continued to ascend to the 2,941m summit of the Dauberhorn before making good their escape.

The local climbing club which maintains the route on a voluntary basis has appealed for information about the unexpected theft, the BBC reports.

Fortunately, the climbing club has also received donations from mountaineering enthusiasts to make up the lost sum, with 500 francs sent by one benefactor alone.