Residents in Spilsby are in uproar following the theft of a Remembrance display – which was later found burnt.

The postbox topper, featuring a Lancaster plane and a cascade of poppies, was snatched from outside the Post Office in The Terrace on Monday night, according to Spilsby Town Council – with CCTV allegedly showing two ‘youths’ walking away with it.

The following day, a member of the public found the topper in nearby woodland – where it had been partially burned.

"This has caused a great deal of upset in the town,” said Coun Ellie Marsh, East Lindsey District Councillor for Spilsby.

The crocheted and knitted topper created for Remembrance Day (inset). Main image: Spilsby town centre.

placeholder image — The crocheted and knitted topper created for Remembrance Day (inset). Main image: Spilsby town centre.

“The topper was created for Remembrance Day. Spilsby has a great RAF history that local people are really proud of – so understandably, there has been a lot of sadness over this incident.”

The crocheted topper was made by resident Joanne Herberts and her mum. The pair have crafted more than a dozen themed and seasonal toppers for the town – much to the delight of locals and visitors who see them.

"I was absolutely gutted when I drove through town and saw it was gone,” said Joanne. "We are going to repair it. It’s hard to say how long it will take because I do some, mum does some, and my dad puts them all together with lots of wire and screws which no one can see. The Lancaster alone took me literally days to make.”

CCTV footage of two youths walking away with the topper was shared on Facebook before it was taken down, says the Town Council.

Some of the scorching damage to the topper - where the material was set on fire.

“The topper was found dumped in a wooded area the next day after they tried to set it on fire,” Coun Marsh explains. “It was returned to Jo, and we are hoping it can be repaired, but Remembrance Day is just days away now.”

“Spilsby is suffering a spate of anti-social behaviour at the moment,” she adds. “We had another incident on the same night where the new information sign about the history of Sir John Franklin was ripped out of the ground at the new play park and taken. Both the pole and the sign are still missing.”

Community ‘justice’

The Standard understands that both boys have now apologised to Joanne, who works at the town’s Post Office.

Just two of the many skillfully-crafted crochet toppers made by Joanne Herberts and her mum.

“When the CCTV images were shared online, a mum of one of the boys got in touch with us,” Coun Marsh said. “This lead to him being taken into the Post Office to apologise to Jo. His mum also asked if there is some community work he can do to try and make up for it.

“Spilsby Town Council has a good working relationship with the local police team and we would always ask for people to report crimes to police – but in this case, the community brought about a form of ‘restorative justice’ by working together, showing that it doesn’t always have to be about criminalising young people.”

Regarding the ongoing issue with vandalism at the play park, which recently underwent a £180,000 refurbishment, Coun Marsh added: “The Town Council has been working with the Spilsby Pavilion committee on getting CCTV installed which will cover the play park, Pavilion, and the new 3G all-weather court.

"We hope these ongoing efforts will deter further anti-social behaviour in the town.”