Farington shuttle snowman dumped in pond by 'mindless vandals'

The Snowman song is a seasonal favourite - but far from '˜walking in the air' this snowman is floating in the water.
The shuttle snowman floating in Farington lodgeThe shuttle snowman floating in Farington lodge
The shuttle snowman floating in Farington lodge

And it’s left folk in Farington disgusted. The traditional Christmas decoration on top of the Farington shuttle monument has been dumped in a fishing lodge. It’s not the first time the snowman has been targeted –after first adorning the shuttle in December 2015 it was stolen in January 2016 and found hidden in nearby bushes.The shuttle has been decorated each Christmas period for the last several years by Farington parish councillor Mike Otter.Mike, a former Lancashire county and South Ribble councillor said he did it because he wanted to bring seasonal cheer to the area.He personally forked out £100 for the snowman to be constructed and it was made with the help of Leyland Market traders and placed on top of the shuttle on Mill Street.The theft was reported to Lancashire Police.Mike said of this latest incident, in which the snowman was found in the lodge in Farington Park: “It was probably an early morning thing. “Everyone I’ve spoken to, or who has spoken to me is totally disgusted with the mindless vandalism.”He described how the disappearance – overnight last Thursday-Friday – was discovered.“We went down to the shuttle and obviously it had gone missing,” he said. “We were on the park on Friday morning doing a monthly litter pick and someone went round the lodge and said ‘there’s something floating in the lodge’ and we realised it was the snowman. Unfortunately attached to the snowman are the lights with a battery pack. “That’s the only battery pack I’ve got so I can’t replace it – we can’t have any lights now this year because I’ve just on battery pack.“I’ve ordered some more but they won’t come until the New Year.”He added: “I’m gutted. What perverse pleasure can they get out of spoiling it. I put it up and it makes people smile when they go past.”Mike put the snowman on top of the shuttle on December 1. Whoever took it down carried it some hundred yards to the lodge to throw it in there.He said the snowman was still in the water yesterday and that he was waiting for operatives from South Ribble Council to recover it form the water.“It will go back up,” said Mike. “I don’t know what damage has been caused.”Councillor Caroline Moon, deputy Leader and cabinet member for neighbourhoods and streetscene at South Ribble Borough Council, said: “We are very disappointed by this totally needless crime and will do everything we can to retrieve any stolen fly-tipped decorations and return them to their rightful place. “Furthermore, we will continue to support the parish councils in providing festive cheer to the towns, villages and people of this borough.”