A SKIPTON woman is asking people to keep their eyes open after an ornament she has had placed on her brother’s grave for seven years has disappeared.

Pamela Lumley had a small sheep and lamb carved in stone as a memorial to her brother Derek Appleton who had farmed near Linton and died in 2013.

She placed it on the grave at Linton’s St Michael’s and All Angels’ Church alongside fresh flowers which she replaces often.

Mrs Lumley said it went missing between September 10 and 13and she has looked all around the churchyard for it.

“I can only assume it has been stolen because no one has seen it. I have asked people at the church and no one has seen it,” she said. “It is only small - about eight inches high - but is quite heavy and is special to me because it was bought in my brother’s memory.

“I go quite often to the grave to put fresh flowers there; usually every couple of weeks, but the pandemic has meant I haven’t visited as often this year since spring.

“It was there on September 10 and when I went again on the 13th it had gone. I would love to have it back as it means such a lot. I would ask if anyone comes across it to hand it in to the church so they can pass it back to me.”

Mrs Lumley is asking people to check their gardens near the church in case it has been thrown there. She has also reported its disappearance to the police.