Theft: Gnomes stolen from Cemetery
A widow has spoken of her anger after garden ornaments left as tributes on the grave of her late husband were stolen by thieves.
Since 59-year-old Margaret Mason's husband Chuck died eight years ago she has visited his grave in New Road Cemetery, Chatteris, each week to lay flowers and garden ornaments by his gravestone.
Collecting the ornaments was one of Mr Mason's favourite hobbies. His home and garden are still crammed full of porcelain figurines of all shapes and sizes.
But his wife has been left devastated after thieves took eight gnomes from beside the grave.
She said: "The memories of my husband and also my dad, who is buried in the same cemetery, are still very close to by heart.
"I often leave flowers and ornaments there in their memory because they are always in my thoughts.
"So you can imagine how devastated I was when I discovered that they had been stolen. "It is all I can think of now and has been very upsetting for me and my elderly mother Aida, who is 84."
For Mrs Mason, of New Road, Chatteris, the most important thing is to get the garden ornaments back, because they all have great sentimental value to her.
She said: "I picked the eight ornaments that I put beside Chuck's grave because they were his favourites.
"One looks like a teddy bear, another a rabbit, a swan and a kingfisher.
"I think Chuck liked them so much because they reminded him of fishing, which was one of his favourite hobbies.
"Everywhere I look in my garden I see ornaments of all shapes and sizes peering back at me, which reminds me further of the ones that have been stolen.
"What have things come to when you can't even leave personal tributes by a grave, without worrying if they are going to get stolen."
Now, police are asking anyone who has any information on the thefts to contact them.
Pete Wright, a spokesman for Cambridgeshire Constabulary's crime management unit, said: "We have had reports of youngsters hanging around the cemetery, which is not the place for them.
"Taking items from a cemetery is an offence and no one has the right to take anyone else's belongings.
"Cemeteries should be sacred places and people should not be in there who are not paying tribute to those who have died.
"I have asked that patrols of this cemetery be stepped up to prevent this happening again."
Anyone with any information should contact March police on 0845 4564564.
(02 November 2004 Peterborough today)
Modbury Gnome vandalized
One day last summer, a local builder was walking past a skip and saw a cute garden gnome among the rubbish. Feeling sorry for him, he picked him up and brushed him down and placed him on a wall just outside the village of Modbury, where for many weeks he remained. He raised a smile from everyone who passed and became quite famous.
The mystery of who put the gnome on the wall became a topic of much speculation in the village. Local newspapers and radio joined in the friendly banter. During the hot summer weather, a radio caller suggested that the gnome would benefit by wearing a pair of sunglasses. After hearing this, the builder aided by an accomplice. gave the little chap a pair of sunglasses. This added to the mystery and even passing bus drivers began pointing him out to their passengers.
Sadly, his fame was his undoing and the Modbury Gnome was stolen.
As you can imagine the builder and the villagers were saddened by what had happened and he went in search of another gnome. He managed to find a fine specimen but this time he cemented it in place on the wall. Once again everyone was delighted to see the gnome back in its place.
Unfortunately a few weeks later, "some muppet", as the builder called him, had broken off the top half of the gnome, leaving the gnome's legs and feet still in place in the cement. The locals were very sad, even with the help of the local radio station, they could not find out who did it - or indeed who put the gnome there in the first place.
So the mystery now is - who stole the Modbury gnome?
Story sent in by a Modbury resident
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