MALVERN'S historic Toposcope, which was stolen from the top of the Hills nearly two years ago, has been recovered.

The engraved metal plate, installed at the highest point of Worcestershire Beacon in 1898, was found by police at an address in Walsall, following a tip-off.

It was handed back to Malvern Hills Conservators, the guardians of the Hills, by police on Christmas Eve.

Richard Graves, the Conservators' chairman, said: "This is the best Christmas present we could have had. It is great news."

Inspector Neville Sheldrick, who handed the metal disc back to Mr Graves, said: "The main thing is that this historic item is back in Malvern."

The Toposcope was designed by the noted architect Arthur Troyte Griffiths, who, with his friend Sir Edward Elgar, was a lover of the Hills.

The plate showed all the landmarks which can be seen from the Beacon. It was mounted on an ornamental stone pedestal to mark Queen Victoria's golden jubilee.

For more than a century, it remained undisturbed until February, 2000, when its transparent cover was opened and the plate removed.

Police have remained tight-lipped about how the Toposcope was tracked down, but it is thought the find followed an anonymous tip-off left on an answering machine at Malvern Hills District Council. The council informed the Conservators, who in turn alerted police.

A man has been arrested in connection with the theft and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Following the theft, the Conservators commissioned the making of two copies of the plate, one of which was installed on the plinth later in 2000. A bollard was also installed to block the road leading to the summit.

Ian Rowat, the Conservators' director, said it was too early to say what would be done with the original.

But he thought it likely that it would be put on display in some safe place, probably in the Conservators' office, while the replica remained on top of the Beacon.

Mr Graves said a plaque describing its theft and recovery could be installed on the plinth on the summit.

Troyte Griffiths' best-known building in the area is All Saints Church at Lower Wyche. He is also the subject of one of Elgar's Enigma Variations.