Pensioners have been creeping out in the middle of the night and stealing flowers from community plant pots in Helsby

GREEN fingered thieves have been raiding village plant pots to decorate their own gardens, according to a parish council.

For the past few weeks the flowers which line the streets of Helsby have been disappearing from plant pots.

Now, after 12 flowers vanished over the weekend from the planter outside Under One Roof, Chester Road, police are searching for the thieves.

Villagers are angry that the flowers, which are planted by local community groups including the WI and the Scout group, are being stolen by the thieves who are believed to be pensioners.

Helsby Parish Council Clerk Janette Hughes said: “We have a fair idea who it is because their gardens are looking fantastic.

“This is not children, the flowers are being carefully selected and removed before being put in a bag and taken to their own garden, they don’t even leave soil behind.

“We are fairly sure who it is. It spoils it for the rest of us really. It is a really mean spirited crime.”