A FAMILY heirloom of garden gnomes has been stolen, leaving their owner devastated.
Thieves took the precious items from a garden in Essex Terrace, Plasmarl, Swansea.
They belonged Michael Courtney, 64, who had inherited them from his mum, author Edith Courtney.
His partner, Cherie Purdey said he was "devastated by the theft".
Edith Courtney, who wrote Fares Please and My Feet Are Killing Me, and founded Swansea Writers' Circle died in 2006, aged 86.
Around 10 years ago, Mr Courtney, who is disabled and on oxygen for 16 hours of the day, did them up.
"I did them up for mum when she was still alive," he said. "And I've been giving them a lick of paint every couple of years since.
"They used to be in her garden. She lived in Derwen Fawr."
The four gnomes were stolen on Tuesday night. Mr Courtney said he had heard they had been a spate of thefts from garden in the area.
Two of the gnomes were a red, green and orange Bill and Ben, both sat on logs, about 9ins high, another was a man sitting on a chair with a pipe and a pick at his side, and the fourth, nicknamed the Laughing Cavalier by Mr Courtney, was a small dwarf looking up the sky with a big white smile.
Mr Courtney added: "Bill and Ben were concreted in, and the gnome on the chair is massive, about 18ins tall and 2ft wide. It would have taken two people to move it.
"They were right up against the front door.
"By the look of it we are not the only ones who have had things stolen.
"I've asked people around here and when I've been shopping.
"Someone had two barrows stolen, one had a conifer in it."
*Can you help? Call South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555 111.
