A CHARITY is appealing for the return of a giant wooden sculpture after it was stolen from an attraction at the National Diving Centre near Tidenham.

The Greenways and Cycleroutes footpath group say the woggle-like Scout carving was taken some time between October 12 and 24 from the old station platform, where it was resting on the Fear Fest Halloween gallows.

The charity is currently hoping to be granted planning permission to open the old railway line between the A48 and Tintern as a walking and cycling route, including the three-quarter mile Tidenham tunnel section.

During a working party in September, a volunteer donated the carving to stand along the route, but despite needing two people to lift it, the sculpture has since gone walkabout.

Spokesperson Caroline Levett said: “We are really upset. It was a magnificent piece of sculpture, which was a gift to us, that we cannot replace. A great many people have put in much time and care into helping to make the path happen.

“We were all looking forward to being able to share this sculpture with the general public once we finally got the path built. And now we do not have it.

“Basically we are a very small charity run by volunteers.

“For the last couple of years we have been working to try to get the old railway line between the A48 and Tintern reopened as a walking and cycling route,” she added.

“As you can ima-gine with a route that includes a tunnel three- quarters of a mile long with resident bats and a Site of Special Scientific Interest there are quite a few hurdles to overcome.

“We submitted a planning application in February 2019, and are hoping for a decision on this early in 2020,” added Caroline.

“To keep the momentum going we held a workcamp in September 2019, to do things that don’t require much money – or planning permission – putting up fences, repairing a sadly neglected bridge and trimming vegetation.

“During the work camp we were presen-ted with a magnificent wooden sculpture by one of our volunteers.

“Briefly we displayed it on one of the spare bridge props, before taking it down for fear it would be stolen as the path is not yet in use.

“We had rested it on the Fear Fest gallows structure on the old station platform beyond the wooden wigwams at the diving centre while we found somewhere to store it safely, but noticed it was missing on October 24.

“It is really heavy, and would take two people to lift it and a vehicle to carry it away.

“We hope someone can help us to find it. Ideally we would just like to find it had mysteriously been returned to where it was.”

Anyone who can help can call Caroline on 07514 568 386, or email greenwaysand [email protected]