Nine year old Lancashire boy who set up a stall to sell pumpkins has eight stolen in broad daylight

George Owen from Walmer Bridge, who has been growing his own pumpkins since the summer to sell in time for Halloween, was left upset after noticing eight of them missing on Monday afternoon. He had set up a stall outside his father Richard's work at Whitestake with a large for sale sign next to the pumpkins and eggs alongside an 'honesty' box where people could pay between £1 to £3 for them depending on their size.

George, who is big brother to Elsie, 3, and attends Little Hoole Primary School, said: "We planted them in the summer and looked after them. We set up a little pumpkin patch and lots of children and grown ups have been coming to buy them as they love that they have been grown in the field. It's doing really well but then somebody came along a few days ago and stole eight pumpkins. I would like them to come back and pay for them as it makes me feel a bit sad."

George's father Richard, 41, who is a self employed fabricator, added that his son had put a lot of effort into making the pumpkins for people to enjoy. He said: "We sell eggs and chickens at the front of my workshop at Whitestake. This year George wanted to plant seeds to sell pumpkins and so he started sowing seeds into growing trays until they formed into plants before planting them in the fields and putting fertiliser on them until it was time to harvest them. He loves driving the tractor and trailer down the fields and doing all the jobs.

"When they had grown he placed them on a pallet with a large for sale sign next to an honesty box where people could pay between £1 to £3 depending on their size.

"I was on the phone on Monday when they were taken. I noticed a man with his teenage daughter at the time and, if it was him, I can't believe it as he was with his child. I really don't know why they have taken them."

Richard explained that, ever the little entrepreneur, George was undeterred by this one thing and that he and his wife Helen were very proud of him. He added: "I am really proud of him and the way he has handled the whole thing and that he hasn't let this one negative thing that happened stop him from doing what he loves. His friends come to buy them and out of 150 pumpkins there are now only around 20 left.

"I have noticed though from starting out selling eggs 10 years ago that nowadays over 30 per cent of them get stolen and money gets taken out of the box - a sad fact that we now accept is part of every day life."