A SCARECROW was stolen from a festival in Bradwell over the weekend.

Bradwell Flower Show was held on Saturday, alongside the third annual scarecrow festival for the village’s massive summer event.

However, despite the show’s success, it was not all good news as one of the festival’s main scarecrows was stolen on Sunday morning after the festivities.

The scarecrow, which was made by one of the committee members, was fixed to the Flower Show sign near the petrol station on Maldon Road, but when committee members came to collect it the next morning it had been stolen.

The scarecrow festival was sponsored by the Bradwell Community Shop, St Thomas’ Church, St Lawrence Church, St Cedd’s Church of England Primary School and the Bradwell Flower Show.

Many members of the community have been saddened by the theft, as the scarecrow was a staple for all three of the festivals held so far.

David Thorpe, of the committee, said: “There are many days work in one of these scarecrows, and normally he would have been stored for a future festival.

“It’s extremely frustrating to have work like this taken. We get so many who have enjoyed the festival for the last three years and people have worked hard to get it to where it’s at now.

“If anyone saw the theft or knows of the whereabouts of this scarecrow please contact the scarecrow committee via the Bradwell Community Shop.”

The scarecrow festival sees people create their best classic, traditional and novelty scarecrows to be in with a chance of winning rosettes.

Anyone with information on the theft should call 01621 776274.