Village fundraising to replace stolen trough

A Surrey village is raising funds to replace a century-old horse trough that was stolen in August.

Limpsfield Parish Council has started an online fundraiser to top up an expected insurance payout for the missing stone trough, which had been used as a planter.

The trough, donated to Limpsfield in 1913, had been at the junction of Detillens Lane and Westerham Road (A25).

The "completely unique" item was "very much a village landmark", said the parish council's clerk Sophie Martin.

Local residents Alice and Horace Barry donated the trough to Limpsfield 112 years ago, according to the item's inscription. The pair also donated the nearby drinking fountain.

"Everyone who lives around Limpsfield is very fond of it and used to seeing it as they drive past every day," Ms Martin said.

"It means something to the local community. It doesn't mean anything really to whoever has eventually got it in their garden."

She added: "Unfortunately we are having to accept the fact that it is probably never coming back and that we have to get a replacement, and that is very expensive."

"Quite a few" similar troughs have been "stolen to order" from other parishes, according to Ms Martin.

A Surrey Police spokesperson said its investigation into the theft was "filed" in September after "all reasonable lines of enquiry were followed up and no suspect was identified".

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