A village is campaigning for the safe return of their beloved plastic sheep which the fear was stolen from under their noses "for a prank".

The sheep - named Poor Audrey Van Gogh - disappeared from the village green this week- and residents suspect that rustlers are behind the fleecing.

Her devastated owner, Kim Cutmore, 62, now fears she may be "taunted" by the supposed sheep kidnappers who could send her Audrey's limbs.

She said: "I just hoped I didn't get an ear in the post like you do see in some kidnapping cases. I hope someone doesn't send me mutton or a lamb chop!"

The two have been inseparable the past 13 years after Kim bought her for £130 from a shop in Sandgate, Kent and named her Poor Audrey because of her glum face.

But after a wild birthday party, Audrey lost her leg and an ear and although the leg was fixed, her ear was beyond repair which gave her the second part of her name Van Gogh.

Kim explained: "She had a leg operation which was successful but her ear operation was not."

Recently, Audrey had been in the wars again after her "good leg" fell off and a local garage offered to fix her up.

The garage reattached her leg and Poor Audrey Van Gogh was back on her green in no time nearby Kim's house in the village of New Buckenham, Norfolk.

However, she wasn't there for very long because when Kim left for work on Monday (July 8), she noticed her sheep was gone.

Kim said: "People do move her sometimes. One time she was put on the bench but she's never been moved far away.

"I wrote a notice for the village shop and I drew a basic drawing of a sheep and wrote down distinguishing factors like a glum expression and scars on her leg."

Despite all her efforts, Kim is still without Poor Audrey and is convinced she is no longer in the village.

The market stall worker claimed Audrey's absence has left a huge hole in the village and said people are already missing her.

Kim said: "People do miss her. Someone knocked on my door and said that they were sorry to hear about Audrey.

"People put different clothes on her there's a family with a young girl who absolutely love her. People really like to see her."

Kim hopes that pranksters are behind her missing ewe and that she'll get a postcard in the post soon.

She said: "If someone has stolen her, I'll be really upset, she was a present from my dad just before he died and she caused quite a lot of amusement in the village.

"If it's a prank and I get postcards and pictures I would know she was safe and it's quite fun. I just don't want her gone for too long! I want her back I miss her."