THIEVES ruined a flower display planted to celebrate the Golden Jubilee by digging up the blue and white blooms and leaving the red ones behind.
The choosy thieves took 22 boxes of bedding plants, which had only been planted the week before, and six established shrubs decorating the village gate in Chesham Road, at the entrance to Bovingdon.
Sometime between 6pm Monday and 8am Tuesday the plants costing £150 were removed.
It is difficult to see how such a large amount could be taken without use of a vehicle, but police say there were no tyre tracks at the scene. One rose shrub has been found but is too damaged to replant.
Bovingdon Parish Council Outdoor committee chairman Mrs Jill Mayo said it was a pity the village warden's hard work had been ruined.
She said: "They were so beautifully planted by Dennis Cooke. He is really upset about it. He puts an awful lot of work into the village and to have these taken out from under his nose is very disheartening for him and sad for the village.
Councillor Alan Daniels said "it never ceases to amaze" him what is stolen from the village.
He said: "If someone could stoop this low as to steal plants it just beggars belief.
"We are suffering so much from vandalism and have had plants stolen before.
The parish council said it would be replacing the plants.
June 21, 2002 12:00
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