Urgent Appeal for Help After Gruffalo Statue Stolen from Park Trail Again
Thieves have struck again, stealing beloved sculptures from Clifton Country Park, leaving the community heartbroken and seeking justice
Salford, United Kingdom, Gruffalo, Sculptures, Theft, Clifton Country Park
Salford: It’s such a shame what happened at Clifton Country Park. Thieves have stolen nine wooden sculptures, including the beloved Gruffalo. Can you believe it?
The rangers were heartbroken when they found out on Friday morning. They arrived to see that the thieves had cut through chains and locks just to get to the statues, which were supposed to be secure.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. The Fairy Tale Trail has been targeted before. Back in 2017, right after it opened, someone took the owl carving. And it didn’t stop there; the fox carving lost its nose shortly after.
Last January, eight sculptures went missing. It’s just so frustrating! They had just replaced them in August, and now they’re gone again. The thieves must have used some serious tools to pull this off.
Councillor Barbara Bentham expressed her disappointment, saying that the community is once again devastated. Nine sculptures were taken, including a bear, fox, and even a fairy house. These were part of a popular walking trail.
It’s the second time in a year that this park has been hit. After the last theft, they thought they had secured the new sculptures better, but it seems it wasn’t enough.
The council is now working with the police to figure out what happened. They believe the theft occurred between the evening of January 16 and the early morning of the next day.
Coun Bentham is calling on locals to help catch these thieves. She’s asking anyone with security cameras to check their footage. It’s just so sad that families can’t enjoy these beautiful sculptures anymore.
If anyone has information, they can reach out to Greater Manchester Police. Let’s hope they can bring these thieves to justice!