‘Devastation’ as Springwood garden is raided (King's Lynn)

A rose named after a retired Lynn hospital porter was stolen from his own garden at the weekend.
A bush featuring the bloom was one of dozens of plants to be taken as thieves ransacked the garden of David and Hilda Moulton at their home on the Springwood estate during the early hours of Saturday.
Police have confirmed they are investigating the theft, which has devastated the couple.
Mrs Moulton told the Lynn News she could not describe what she thought of those responsible.
“We’re devastated. They have just taken the lot. You can see where they have just pulled them up”, she said.
“He doesn’t want to go out there at the moment.”
A keen gardener, Mr Moulton was presented with the rose, which has since been named Moulton’s Marvel, by colleagues at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital to mark his 65th birthday last October.
But the blooms were stolen, together with 26 goldcrest plants and a hanging basket sometime between 1am and 7.45am on Saturday.
A neighbour had been walking his dog at around 1am after finishing work and saw that the garden was still intact.
And Mrs Moulton, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which means she has difficulty sleeping, said she had wondered whether the incident would have happened if she was up.
She said: “The night before this happened I spent about two-and-a half hours reading. Perhaps the light would have been on and they wouldn’t have done it. I don’t know.”
She added that officers had said it was likely a vehicle had been left nearby to take the plants away.
The house runs alongside a footpath which is regularly used by pedestrians making their way to and from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Mrs Moulton said passers-by had regularly commented to her husband on how attractive the garden looked and many had also condemned the thieves during the last few days.
Anyone with information about the incident should ring police on 0845 4564567.

(Reproduced from the Lynn News, 6th June)

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