“OH, LEAVE it out Rodney.”

The owners of a quirky but much-loved landmark in Weyhill have tried to see the funny side after thieves stole a treasured mannequin in a wave of vandalism.

Vandals have been targeting the site of Weyhill Car Boot, owned by Nigel and Graham North, but this week the brothers were shocked to discover that their dummy of Del Boy, from Only Fools and Horses, had been taken from the Robin Reliant painted to replicate the show’s famous car.

But it did not get the owners down, as they quickly came up with a retort, and on Monday a pair of legs were installed above the vehicle, along with a sign exclaiming: “You plonkers. You forgot my legs!”

However, it only took a day for the legs to be stolen, in a second unusual theft.

Graham said: “Someone must have climbed on the top of the car and stole the legs.

“What can we say, it is incredible that this is continuing, we never expected for the legs to go so quickly.”

Luckily, the legs were found in an Amport phone box on Wednesday, and the brothers will be reunited with them on Sunday.

Along with the thefts, the car boot site and its distinctive landmark have also fallen foul to a spate of vandalism, as the doors have been torn off the car, tyres slashed, and the toilet block at the site has been lacerated with knives.

Vandals have also bent flagpoles to steal the flags, cut banners and stolen disabled parking badges.

Graham said: “It does not give anyone much encouragement does it. It is just mindless vandalism, what have they honestly achieved by doing this?”

The brothers said they cannot leave anything on the site for fears that it could be stolen or destroyed, including the car as it has been “wrecked”.

“We have got Mr Bean here, we daren’t take him up because that is going to be wrecked. We are very disappointed.”

The hunt to find Del Boy has taken to social media, with hundreds of people sharing their sadness that the icon has been taken by thieves.

“I wish he could be returned, the people in the area want him to be returned,” Graham said.

“A lot of children used to love to go and see Del Boy, it is just mindless vandalism that is unnecessary.

“They have ruined it for all.”

The owners are offering an incentive for anyone who finds Del Boy with one month’s free car boot.