NEWSFLASH – TOPIARY FOOTBALLER FOUND!!!

The topiary footballer which was stolen from Exchange Street roundabout in Aylesbury on Tuesday night was found yesterday by a resident of the Town. Mrs. Lesley Ridgeway discovered the ‘green man’ in the lane at the back of her house in Stoke Road.

Thinking it belonged to the neighbours, Mrs. Ridgeway was not aware that the footballer was stolen until she showed her grandchild the topiary statue in the afternoon, whereupon Mrs. Ridgeway’s daughter recognised it is having been reported stolen on BBC Oxford news that evening.

Mrs Ridgeway then phoned her local Town Councillor, Mrs Freda Roberts MBE JP who quickly consulted the rest of the Town Council and the Town Council Officers.

“I couldn’t believe it when my daughter recognised it as stolen,” said Mrs. Ridgeway. “I thought it belonged to a neighbour.

“It was lucky I went to show the statue to my daughter otherwise it may have still been here,” she continued. “We put him in water overnight and even nicknamed him Ronaldo!

“My immediate thought was to get in touch with Mrs. Roberts, one of the Town Councillors responsible for the Ward where I live. It’s nice to know that she is just a phone call away when things like this happen.

“Mrs. Roberts was very helpful and quickly informed the correct people about the footballer. I’m looking forward to seeing him back in his proper place on the roundabout.”

Mrs. Roberts expressed her happiness at the good news, “I’m delighted we’ve got the footballer back. I watched it going up on the roundabout originally and I’m so glad he can now be returned.

“The fact that it was found so quickly really shows a sense of the community spirit which is alive in Aylesbury. Once found, the situation was dealt with very quickly, and I think that is down to the Town Councillors and the Town Council Officers working so well as a team.”

The footballer was taken this morning to Crown Leys allotment site to be ‘re-nourished’ in the hope that it can be returned to the Exchange Street Roundabout. Aylesbury Town Council’s Outdoor Team will attempt some repairs to the statue before its ‘fitness’ is reassessed.

“We’re hoping to re-instate it on the roundabout early next week, so that he can be there for the initial stages of the World Cup Football,” said Robert Taft, who heads up the outdoor team at Aylesbury Town Council.

Photos:

Top right: Members of the Outdoor Team Chris Barlow (left) and Paul Neil (left) with Member of the Office administration team Donna Trichardt (centre) with the returned footballer.

Bottom right: The topiary footballer where it was found near Mrs. Ridgeway's garden.