A sculptor had to sleep at the Showground after crooks nabbed one of his works of art.

Sculptor David Goode from Oxford, who specialises in limited edition fine art bronze statues of goblins, had a rude awakening to the Show on Monday morning after one of his pieces was swiped.

While he was putting his display in North Ranelagh Way together he had stored a number of his smaller statues in a gazebo at his exhibit. Although they had been covered with a sheet, next day he found a piece called The Sax Player had disappeared.

The bronze figure on a granite base was worth £4000 – it has now been replaced by an identical figure.

"I’ve had to spend one night in the gazebo and the another night in the car to prevent any more being taken," said David. "It’s the first time one of my statues has ever been taken, and it’s ironic that it was a statue that I’ve never sold before," he said.