A KILCREGGAN woman has appealed for the help of the public after a valuable piece of garden furniture was stolen from outside her home.

Susie Will told the Advertiser that the distinctive Coalbrookdale Victorian cast-iron garden seat was taken at around 4.45pm on Monday, June 5 from her property on the corner of Argyll Road and School Road in the village.

Susie said: “The seat is worth around £1,500 in its current state and had been recently welded at Nicol Slee in Garelochhead. It was midway through renovation, ready for powder coating.

“It was stolen from our garden, where it was tucked up steps and behind a hedge, not visible from the road.

“It was spotted in School Road but had gone within a short period of time.”

In addition to its financial value, Susie said the seat had sentimental value as an inherited family piece.

She added: “There have been other metal things disappearing apparently, and although there were scrap metal men in the village last week we actually think this is a local thing.”

If you have information about the theft, or saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area around that time, please get in touch with Police Scotland by dialling 101.

* In a separate incident, police are also investigating the theft of plant pots from a private garden in Helensburgh's John Street between June 10 and 11; again, any information can be passed to police by dialling 101.