A KNIGHT has replaced Henry V's baton that was stolen from the King's statue outside Monmouth's Shire Hall.

Using 21st century lifting equipment instead of shining armour, Eric Knight, a construction worker with Linford, who are carrying out the restoration work to the Shire Hall, repositioned the historic baton at the stroke of noon last Thursday.

The baton, detailed in some historic reference books and guides as a scroll, first went missing over the weekend of May 14 to 16.

For the past 218 years until it was stolen the scroll has been held aloft by the statue of Henry V, which has pride of place at the front of the Shire Hall.

An appeal was made for the return of the baton, which has no resale value but is of great historical value, and the theft even made the national television news.

The baton's discovery came while the police were holding a community surgery in Monmouth. A young person turned up with the scroll asking if there was a reward for its safe return. 

The police told the individual that there was no reward, but the person decided to hand the baton back anyway. 

Project manager for the Shire Hall scheme, Keith Davies, said: "We are so excited and relieved to have the scroll back and we send our thanks to the police and the people in Monmouth who helped to get it back."

During its disappearance the baton's gold leaf had become damaged and work to reapply the gold leaf was undertaken at an estimated cost of £300.

John Hanmer, project manager for Linford, said: "Thank you to whoever brought the baton back. It went missing under mysterious circumstances a few weeks ago and we are just pleased to have it back.

"Its nice to see it back where it belongs, glistening in the sun in the hand of Henry V. The baton is very much part of Monmouth's heritage which itself has no financial value itself, but historically it belongs to the statue of Henry V, one of the country's national treasures."