A 61-YEAR-OLD man has hit out at trick-or-treaters who stole his garden gnome because they "did not get what they wanted".

Joseph Duffy, of Tolladine Road, is urging parents to be more responsible for their children.

At the time of the theft he had been on the phone and could not get to the door to talk to the trick-or-treaters. Neither could his wife, who has just come out of hospital.

He said one of the youngsters had fallen in his pond, according to some witnesses, and appealed to parents to be vigilant.

"If anyone's child turned up wet on Tuesday night, and with a gnome, they know it's not theirs - they've stolen it," he said.

"I really do object to people coming down your private drive and demanding money. I don't agree with people begging and especially damaging my property when they don't get what they want. I'm really annoyed."

The hand-painted gnome was one of a collection of garden ornaments, and was made by Mr Duffy's brother, in Ireland.

Mr Duffy had been on a long-distance phone call at the time of the theft, at about 8pm, on Tuesday.

"I would have gone to the door if I'd not been on the phone. By the time I did, they'd scarpered. My wife stepped out and she noticed the gnome had gone."

Mr Duffy said the gnome had been stuck to a tile, which was cemented in to the pond surrounds.

"They broke the tile to get it out.

n From Page 1/ "Parents should be more responsible for their children and not let them go knocking on doors. If they don't get what they want, they take it out on your property."

In another incident, in Ronkswood, a 60-year-old woman had eggs smashed all over her van when she could not get to the door.

"I was in the bath," said the woman, who did not want to be named.

"When I went outside a bit later, there were eggs smashed all over our van. And it had been kicked - there were two footprints on it. It's dreadful. I don't agree with this trick-or-treat at all."