Princess Margaret's Lady-In-Waiting has accused the police of showing no real interest in helping her recover a life-size Labrador statue stolen from the roof of her porch.

Jane Stevens, of Appleford Road, Sutton Courtenay, has offered an undisclosed reward for the return of the stone dog - which was taken despite being cemented onto a plinth.

It is the latest in a series of eight ornaments taken from the property over a number of years - with none being recovered. She suspects thieves have identified the collection by visiting her garden when it has been opened to the public for charity.

"I obviously don't know all the people who visit and I suspect some have returned here after having a look-around," she said. "What's terribly upsetting is the police don't bother any more." She added: "You can't have anything in this village. Thieves will take anything. What is upsetting is that you never see a policeman, except when a car is rushing through the village with a siren going.

"There doesn't ever seem to be a village bobby around. That sort of life doesn't exist any more."

The statue, of a labrador sitting on its haunches, has no great financial value but is particularly dear to Mrs Stevens as it was handed down to her by her late mother.

"It was something that had been in the family for years," she said.

Another statue particularly dear to Mrs Stevens' heart was a bronzed eagle.

She is sure someone must have seen the labrador being hoisted from her front garden, even though it was stolen overnight. And she is also hoping the distinctive statue will be spotted wherever it is now.

"I am prepared to offer a reward because I want it back," she said.

Pc Roger Lakeman, at Didcot, sympathised with Mrs Stevens but said there was a beat bobby for the Steventon and Sutton Courtenay area and he had received a report concerning the missing statue. He said: "I was a village policeman for eight years and I agree the system has changed. Villages have got bigger and we have to look at the best way of policing them."

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