A north-east pensioner has been reunited with a precious garden ornament stolen from his front lawn.
David Keith’s fox statue was given to him by his late wife, Daisy, almost 40 years ago but was taken from his Westhill property on Tuesday, March 21.
The 89-year-old believes he was distracted at his door by two men, who asked if he wanted work done to his property, before the theft from his garden.
However he has now been reunited with “foxy” after it was spotted by neighbours in long grass near his home.
Mrs Keith, his wife of 65 years, died in November last year aged 85.
Mr Keith said: “They went back to the spot only to find it had gone – because it had been taken away by my other neighbour.
“It was a relief and a joy when it was found. If my wife saw the fox missing, she would have been right down-hearted.
“But she would have been over the moon because it has now been found. I can’t thank everyone enough.
“We have lived here since 2004 and this sort of thing has never happened before.
“The thieves could have taken any pots in the world and I or my wife wouldn’t have worried – but this ornament is different.
“My wife would have wanted to find it again and so I did. It holds a lot of memories for us.”
Foxy had been resident in the gardens of Mr Keith’s former homes in Houston, Renfrewshire and Culter in years gone by.
Pc Steve Middleton, who led the investigation into the theft, said: “This is a genuine good life story with a really happy ending.
“It was given to him by Daisy, who he loves very much, and it meant everything to him.”