Stolen life-sized Laurel and Hardy statues found after a year

A pair of life-sized Laurel and Hardy statues have been found nearly a year after they were stolen from outside a home in east London.

Lesley Haylett, 62, and her partner Peter Elliott, 72, said they were "devastated" when the 6ft (1.8m) figures were taken for a fourth time.

Ms Haylett had given the effigies to Mr Elliot more than 40 years ago.

They disappeared from outside the house in Romford the day Mr Elliot went into hospital for a bone marrow transplant.

Ms Haylett said Laurel and Hardy were found by police in a garage but she was not told exactly where.

"It was a pure fluke that the police found them. They were carrying out a search when they found them under some blue tarpaulin in a lock-up garage.

"They told me that one of the officers recognised them and said, 'that's Laurel and Hardy, they've been stolen'."

"So Pete is over the moon, he really is. He couldn't believe they were back. I can't believe they're back."

The fibreglass statues have been stolen numerous times over the years and were last returned in 2018 after being taken three years earlier in 2015.

Ms Haylett said the statues were well-known in the area as they had been part of an elaborate Christmas display the pair had organised annually in aid of charity for the past 36 years.

She added that Laurel and Hardy would return to their rightful place in the display this Christmas.

Comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, whose most famous catchphrase was "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" were known for slapstick comedy short films from the 1920s to the 1940s.

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