A FAMILY’S own detective work in search of their late mother’s memorial bench has led to its safe recovery.
After weeks of heartbreak, following the death of their dad Peter Bough of Eldridge Close, Feltham, and then the theft of the 15-year-old bench from his garden which was dedicated ‘in loving memory of my dear wife Dot’, sisters Rachel Bough and Debbie Lee were delighted to get the bench back.
Ms Bough was clearing out her dad’s house on Saturday, with her aunty Wendy Hart who originally discovered the bench was missing.
She went for a walk down the estate with her partner when they came across two benches in someone’s garden, one which undoubtedly belonged to her parents.
She said: “Everyone is so pleased. We have taken it to my house as we couldn’t have left it at my dad’s again and will put the plaque on.
“When we walked down the estate there was one garden with two benches. As we were walking past it I thought that’s my mums bench. There were hooks on the bench where my dad would hang flowers on it.
“We knocked on the door and the man said he had bought it off someone. We were able to take it out of his garden as we didn’t want to leave it there.”
The personalised plaque and flowers will be placed back on the memorial bench.
Rachel’s Facebook page had received more than 100 likes after she posted the bench had been found.
Inspector Mark Weston of Feltham Safer Neighbourhood Team confirmed the bench had been recovered by the victim.
He said: “The theft of a memorial bench from a front garden in Eldridge Close, Feltham, was a despicable crime which we view seriously.
“It was made all the more odious because the culprit was clearly aware of
what they were doing, by leaving the plaque and flowers behind. Police are very keen to solve this crime.”
Contact PS Nigel Treacy and the Feltham West Safer Neighbourhood Team on 0208 247 6301 or email via the team website.
No arrests have been made.
