The "Before" Picture (Tuesday 10th October 2017)

Calne became news last Monday week when it was discovered that its celebrated pigs sculpture had been stolen overnight from the mouth of Phelps Parade.

The pair of bronze pigs were made by the sculptor Richard Cowdy in 1979 when the Harris Bacon Factory closed with the loss of 1,500 local jobs, and were much loved by Calne people (unlike the open Head sculpture that stands at the entrance to the library). Richard Cowdy offered to recreate the pigs and the Calne Lions offered to divert thousands of pounds of donations to fund their replacement.

A few days later, though, the owner of a reclamation yard in Sandhurst, Gloucs, saw a newspaper article about the theft and realised that he had just bought them for £850 from a 17-year old youth, and he was currently displaying them in the window of his Ronson Gallery in Longford, Gloucs, prior to their expected fate of being melted down. He contacted the police and they were collected from him the following Wednesday by Calne Police, led by PCSO Mark Cook. They were in fine condition apart from some damage to the base plate. A 17-year old has been arrested in connection with the incident.

The statue is currently being repaired and will be replaced on the site shown in the Blip when ready. PCSO Cook is in the Police car parked to the left of the picture, where he was "remote working".

I will blip both pigs when they are returned to the site.

I spent two hours trying to post this yesterday evening but was beset by technical difficulties at this end, and then found the JPEG had to be reduced in size as it was over 20MB, and I was out of time.

L.
12.10.2017 (1325 hr)

Blip #2250 (#2500 including 250 archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #032
Blips/Extras In 2017 #318
Day #2755 (523 gaps from 26 March 2010)
LOTD #1485 (#1611 including 126 on archived blips)

Pig statue stolen from Calne has been found (Gazette and Herald)

Calne series
Art series
Pigs series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Soft Machine - Pig (recorded live, 29 March 1969, Paradiso, Amsterdam)
Cuts out very suddenly when the band segue into the next track.