LACOCK became the scene of a wild goose chase on Friday when a garden ornament was stolen from outside a shop in the village.

Businessman Keith Bulson got in a bit of a flap when he found out that his best ornamental goose, part of a pavement display outside Lacock Woollen Centre, had been swiped.

A man and a woman who had been drinking in one of the village pubs were waiting at the bus stop in West Street when they suddenly grabbed it by the neck and jumped on the bus bound for Chippenham.

Fortunately Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News photographer Trevor Porter was in the village on an assignment.

Margret Dudley, who saw what happened, alerted him to the fowl play and Mr Porter went immediately to tell Mr Bulson that his goose had flown the nest.

Mr Bulson said: "I was very busy on a Friday afternoon and Trevor came in to tell me the goose had gone.

"It was quite a shock because we have had that pavement display for years and nothing like this has ever happened before.

"I was saddened because this does not happen in Lacock. People trust one another and we all put flowers outside our houses and so on. It was a real disappointment to hear someone had broken that trust."

Mr Porter knew the bus was going to Chippenham so he jumped in his car and headed for the town.

He said: "I knew they wouldn't have a car so I went through the shopping centres hoping to find them.

"On a wing and a prayer I spotted them in Emery Gate with the goose slung over their shoulder and quickly took a photo of them.

"They asked what I was doing and I told them I was calling the police to ascertain who the rightful owner of the goose was.

"They said they were really sorry, that it was a practical joke and asked me to return it to the shop, which I was happy to do."

Mr Bulson said: "I was delighted when Trevor returned with the goose under his wing.

"I was quite overcome. The effort he put in was absolutely first class and he is to be congratulated."

The goose, worth £40, was sold the following day to a customer who had no idea about the adventures their new garden ornament had been involved in.