Christmas postbox topper stolen from postbox in Claines

The adorable Rudolph decoration, which even came complete with its own set of Christmas lights, had adorned a postbox in School Bank.

But the topper has not been seen since Saturday afternoon, leaving its creator and passers-by feeling sad.

The Rudolph topper went missing on Saturday night (Image: Lisa Ball)

“Last week it was there - we think it must have been taken on Saturday night,” said Lisa Ball, who has been making postbox toppers for the past couple of years.

“I’m a member of the Knit, Knot and Natter group and we make the toppers around the WR3 postcode.

“I do the one on School Bank because it’s near my children’s school. I do it for the school children - they benefit and so does the church.

“I do them for the different seasons and probably do five or six a year.

“The last time we had one stolen was Halloween 2022 and I just didn’t think it would happen again, but this isn’t a very nice world we live in sometimes.

“I can only assume someone has taken it as a decoration for their own house or maybe they thought it was a plush toy. It’s actually full of things to make it stand upright so it won’t be very nice to cuddle.

“Whoever took it must have had a knife or scissors with them because I used cable ties to attach it and they were all cut.

“It’s a shame because now in this last week of term, the children aren’t able to see it on their way to school.”

Some of the toppers are made with items donated to the Knit, Knot and Natter group.

“With this one, I’d used my own things to make it and even put a light on a timer, but I don’t mind because so many people love it and I get so many nice comments, with people asking me what the next one is going to be.

“If whoever took it does have a conscious, or if anyone sees it in someone’s house, if it is just left next to the postbox I can put it back.”