Riddle SOLVED after ornament stolen 35 years ago handed in at Kettering police station

Police believe they have solved the riddle of an ornament stolen from a Northamptonshire village 35 YEARS ago.

Appeals via this newspaper and social media led to hundreds of people — including the local vicar Rev Richard Coles — getting in touch with information about the keepsake.

And today (Thursday July 1) a Force spokeswoman said: “The response to our appeal has been truly heart-warming!

"The officer dealing with the case has now spoken to the daughter of the ornament owners.

"Sadly they have passed away but we will be making arrangements to hand over the ornament to their family.”

The ornament was sent to Kettering police station with an anonymous note claiming it had been stolen from a property in Finedon back in 1986.

A note attached to the keepsake also claimed it had belonged to a family with the surname Collcutt.

A former High Sheriff of Northamptonshire and county coroner, Michael Collcutt, lived in Finedon until his death in 2010.