Farmer asks for return of life-sized plastic cow

A farmer has appealed for the return of his life-sized plastic cow, which has been stolen from his North Yorkshire property.

The cow was taken from a field in the village of Kirkby Overblow, near Harrogate, between 14 January and 28 January, according to North Yorkshire Police.

The cow's owner, who asked not to be named, joked that the theft was an "animal welfare issue", as the two plastic sheep he bought alongside the cow five years ago for decoration were missing their companion.

He said he believed it would have taken at least three men to lift the hefty heifer between them.

"I don't know how they would have stolen it," he said.

"They must have had a van or a roof rack or something - you can imagine all sorts of hilarious pictures with the cow on top of a roof rack.

"I'm assuming it's drunk kids who've done it for a bit of a laugh."

The farmer said he had not initially believed his wife when she told him the cow, which he bought for "around £700", had disappeared for pastures new.

He added that he kept expecting the model to turn up on The Stray, a huge area of public parkland in Harrogate, or "at a bus stop somewhere".

"There's no damage to the fences or anything, so they've done it very elegantly," he said.

The farmer said the cow had been wedged next to a hawthorn bush on his land and that after he had first bought it, passers-by would regularly mistake it for a real animal and knock on his door to tell him it was stuck.

"I just bought it for a bit of a laugh," he said.

"It was just a silly, fun thing to make people in the village smile."

Despite the theft, he said he had no 'beef' with the people responsible.

"I'd far rather they steal a plastic cow than commit a serious crime," he said.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "We would particularly appreciate any sightings of this moooving cow and any details that could help us return it to its rightful owner."

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