100-year-old man heartbroken after theft of his concrete tortoise

Ernest Tomlinson has lived in the same house for almost 50 years and has just celebrated his 100th birthday. But he has become the victim of thieves, who stole his concrete tortoise from the place it has occupied in his front garden for 20 years.



Now Mr Tomlinson has been forced to put up a sign in front of his home in Spring Cottage, east Hull, appealing to the thieves to return his garden ornament. Mr Tomlinson, who can only walk with the aid of sticks, said: "It has now been two weeks and the tortoise has not been returned and I don't expect it will.

"I put out a sign for someone to return it. I wouldn't mind even if they returned it at night without anyone seeing. We have been in this house since 1968 and nothing like this has happened to us before. The fact someone took it is a real shame." Since the theft, Mr Tomlinson and his wife Margaret have had another tortoise flowerpot bought for them.



But they just want their original ornament, a self-standing stone tortoise with space for a plant at the back, returned. Mr Tomlinson added: "The tortoise was in our garden for more than 20 years. It is only a concrete tortoise and yes it is not a real one, but it is still the principle that someone stole it which is wrong." Anyone with information regarding Ernest's missing tortoise are requested to contact Humberside Police.

With video.