Joy for Harold as stolen birds spotted

A reader contacted reporters to say his son had been offered three of the ducks for sale after 89-year-old Harold Fletcher's birds were taken from his home in New Invention, Willenhall, on April 16.

Police investigating the unusual theft went to inspect the ducks before taking them back to the pensioner, who identified them as his.

Mr Fletcher today said he was overjoyed to have his beloved birds back home.

"Police took a photograph of the ducks and as soon as I saw it I could recognise them," he said.

"Then they brought them to me in a box and as soon as they opened it up, I could tell it was them straight away. My word, what a to-do when I got them home.

"They were in the pond, in their food, everything. They must have had a very funny seven days wherever they were."

Mr Fletcher added: "They were very nervous at first, but they're just coming round now."

Fourteen chickens that were taken in the raid are still missing.

Mr Fletcher says he has been moved to tears following cash donations by Express & Star readers to enable him to restock his collection of birds.

Three readers have sent £58 in total so he can buy more chickens. Mr Fletcher, who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, has been breeding the hybrid birds for nearly 35 years since he retired.

He lives with his 85-year-old wife Marjorie and gets up at 7.30am every day to feed his birds. He was stunned to see just three ducks left on the morning of April 16 after the raiders broke into his garden pen.

Mr Fletcher said: "I have been so moved by the extremely kind donations from the Express & Star readers. It just shows there are kind people out there.

"At the moment, I 'm still unsure whether I will get any more birds because I am still so upset. But I will use the money to pay for food for the ducks."

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to ring Bloxwich police station on 0845 113 5000.