A knitted Platinum Jubilee postbox topper that went missing last weekend has been returned.

The topper, which features The Queen, a corgi and a soldier, had been on the postbox on the corner of Eston Avenue and Hastings Road in Malvern since the end of May.

But sometime last weekend it disappeared, much to the disappointment of creator Mandy Harding and residents who had enjoyed seeing the patriotic scene.

Worcester News: Mandy Harding with her creationMandy Harding with her creation

Mrs Harding, who had taken weeks to make the topper in her spare time, had said: “Hopefully this will prick someone’s conscience and they will bring it back.”

As well as taking two or three days to make each figure, Mrs Harding had to wire each one to a pegboard and even custom-built legs in order to attach it to the postbox, which has a curved, sloping top.

'I'm pleased it's come back'

It appears a combination of our story and posts on social media had the desired effect because the topper reappeared the next day, although there are no clues as to who may have taken it, or why.

“I went down to the postbox this afternoon to put up a sign asking if anyone knew where it might have wandered off to, and the topper was there, placed neatly on top of the postbox,” said Mrs Harding.

“There was no message or anything, but all pieces are still complete and intact, just a little bent. I’m pleased it’s come back.

READ MORE: New post box toppers popping up around Worcestershire

“I’ve brought it home for safe-keeping now, until the next one is ready.”

Mrs Harding’s next postbox project is a summer holiday-themed topper and she has plans to create Halloween, Remembrance Day and Christmas decorations later in the year.

The craze for knitted or crocheted postbox toppers has grown in popularity in recent years and has even been welcomed by the Royal Mail.

Yarn bombers are simply asked to that decorations do not cause a safety concern or any offence, and do not obstruct customers from posting letters or postal workers from collecting mail.