A heartless thief has stolen a hand crafted nativity scene of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus lying in a manger.
The figures, made by a Hurst Hookers knitting and crochet group member, were displayed on the green BT box by the A321 near Hurst pond.
A woolly Christmas tree, Rudolph, a hen, a penguin, a pig in a blanket and a robin were also discovered to be missing on Tuesday morning.
Group member Heather Howarth said: “I just can’t believe that someone could steal our member’s woolly Christmas creations. These take some hours to make and are for the enjoyment of our village.”
Addressing the thief she asked: “How could you?”
Geraldine Eglington, who made all the stolen items said: “It’s a real shame. I thought one might disappear, but not the whole jolly lot.”
A magnificent crown she made to mark the King’s coronation was stolen from a post box at the time.
Anyone who has information about the stolen items can contact the Hurst Hookers via their Facebook page.
Hurst’s main post box outside the shop now has a Christmas display on it.
And the old red telephone box on the corner of the A321 and Tape Lane has just sprouted a chimney with Father Christmas’s legs waving out of the top.
Pip Etheridge from Hurst Hookers said: “The box has 24 panes of glass so we are filling one each day like an advent calendar. People are really anticipating each new little window display.” So far the items include stockings, candles, gingerbread men, a jumper and snowflakes.
In fact the box still has a vital, every day use, as home to a defibrillator for use when someone goes into cardiac arrest. Instructions for accessing the defibrillator can be obtained with a 999 call.
Manuela Warren from Twyford, another Hookers member, has organised a Christmas topper for the London Road, Twyford post box with help from fellow members. It was a happy surprise when Rebecca Wells, of Woodley, visiting her parents in Twyford, with Alexander, two, spotted it. Alexander took a shine to the ‘birdie’, a beautiful robin.
