Where's me lawn ?

A pensioner woke to find bare earth in place of her front lawn which had been stolen by opportunistic thieves.

Ivy Mizen, 92, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, said she believed the thieves had carted the turf away in a neighbour's wheelie bin.

The new lawn had been laid just days before the theft leaving her bungalow fronted by a bare patch of dirt.

Managers at the sheltered housing scheme where she lives replaced the stolen turf on Wednesday.

As the new turf was laid Mrs Mizen said she was more annoyed than angry.

"They can't be in their right minds to do that sort of thing. No-one in their right minds would steal a lawn - I wouldn't have thought so anyway."

Katie Savage, from Cross Keys Homes which runs the sheltered housing scheme where the pensioner lives, said: "We can't believe this has happened. They'd literally taken it all. She had nothing left.

"But I'm glad to say Cross Keys have gone round and we've re-laid the turf for her so she's happy again.

"She's 92 years old and she's the oldest tenant on the scheme as well so it was disappointing for her. She was saddened by it but, you know, these things do happen."

Police have begun an investigation and are trying to track down the thieves.