Harry Potter scarecrow vanishes from East Boldon trail

Harry Potter has vanished from the streets of East Boldon.
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But the Boy Who Lived hasn’t disapparated or zoomed off on his broomstick – he’s been stolen.

An effigy of Harry had been placed outside Boldon Auction Galleries’ premises in Front Street as part of the annual scarecrow trail organised by the Friends of East Boldon Parks.

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Staff put the display out on Friday morning – but when they came back 24 hours later, Harry was nowhere to be seen.

Auction Galleries director Caroline Hodges was disappointed by the theft: “It is a fantastic trail,” she said.

"They have been doing it from three years now and we have been taking part since day one. It’s just devastating that this has happened.

"We put him out on the Friday and he was gone by the Saturday when we came in to open up for viewing.”

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“It was ‘Harry Potter and the Salesroom of Secrets – we had Harry stood outside, holding a gavel instead of a wand, under a Dementor. We had the basilisk snake and we had Hermione Granger up in a tree on a broomstick

The Harry Potter scarecrow was stolen from outside Boldon Auction GalleriesThe Harry Potter scarecrow was stolen from outside Boldon Auction Galleries
The Harry Potter scarecrow was stolen from outside Boldon Auction Galleries

"There were all still there, it was just that Harry Potter himself was gone.”

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The loss of Harry himself is not the only problem: "The gavel itself is quite important – we use it for every auction,” said Caroline.

"The auctioneers are going to have to replace the gavel, unless we can get it back.”

Harry in position with the Dementor flying overheadHarry in position with the Dementor flying overhead
Harry in position with the Dementor flying overhead
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Caroline contacted Friends secretary Rebecca Higgins, who in turn alerted the police to the theft: “Rebecca had been in touch with me and I had to e-mail her to say that it was gone,” she said.

“It is just such a shame for the families going round. A few people have had a giggle about Harry Potter vanishing but the fact is this is a family event and means a lot to the people in the village.”

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm we received a report of a theft of a scarecrow from outside Boldon Auction Galleries overnight between Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30.

“Anyone who has information is asked to contact us via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 120623R/21.”

The Basilisk scarecrow was untouchedThe Basilisk scarecrow was untouched
The Basilisk scarecrow was untouched

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