A BRONZE statue worth thousands of pounds has been stolen from a Stockbridge art gallery.

The bronze stag – valued at £5,500 – was snatched from Wykeham Art Gallery, in High Street, at about 2am on Friday, 23 November.

The front window of the art gallery was smashed and the statue was taken from where it was on display behind the glass.

Pc James Dalton said: “I am appealing for anyone with any information about this incident to come forward.

“The statue is about 26 inches tall and is very heavy. It is likely to have required two people to lift it, or possibly a van or a similar vehicle to transport it in.

“I am keen to speak to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the High Street area during the early hours of November 23, or anyone who has any other information that could assist our inquiry.”

Anyone with any information should contact Pc Dalton at Andover police station on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.