Gardai are appealing for information after a green metal display plough was stolen from a rural village in Co. Offaly.

The famous plough, which was welded into the ground at Moore’s Cross in Walsh Island for more than a decade, belongs to the local Tidy Towns group.

It is understood that the plough was removed last Tuesday night (October 3).

Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Madeline Flint of the Walsh Island Development Group appealed for information about the community’s treasured heirloom.

“The plough would have been seen on TV years and years ago with a horse pulling it through the field. It was restored and painted and put at the entrance of the village where it has been for 10 or 15 years.

“We had it concreted into the ground with a metal bar going through it and we really looked after it. We were very proud of it but unfortunately it has been taken.

“We noticed it missing on Wednesday morning. It was on display at the busy Portarlington-Edenderry road, at a crossroads of the village. It was there on Monday and Tuesday, so it must have been taken Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

There was a guy down there cutting the grass and he knew something wasn’t right; something was missing. Then he just noticed ‘the feckin’ plough is gone; God Almighty tonight.

The group is urging people to be vigilant that the piece may be used as an ornament, sold for metal, or sold at a market.

“We reckon it’s worth €100 to €150. We’ve been in the ‘Tidy Towns’ in recent years and this year we got silver in the Tullamore Credit Union Awards. We have a good committee; we’re trying our best but when this happens you get disheartened,” she said.

Although the community group said they “will carry on” without the plough, they are appealing for its safe return.

We have all the details up on social media, pictures on our Facebook page and we gave a statement to the Gardai, so we are putting it out there. Hopefully someone will see it somewhere or the people that took it will get caught.

If you have any information about the stolen plough the Walsh Island Development Group can be contacted via its Facebook page. Gardai are also appealing for information to be sent to: [email protected].

Meanwhile, Tullamore Garda Station will have an open day on Saturday, October 21, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. The Garda Band will be there along with the Mounted Unit; Regional Support Unit; mountain bikes; Traffic Corps; Garda motorbikes; Public Order Unit; and Crime Prevention Officers.