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Friday, March 16, 2007 | 08:45
 | | The toilet (centre left) which has
disappeared from the junction at
Westhall. Photo by Andrew Turner |
WHEN one hears of something or someone being held to ransom, the images generally created are those of hostages or internationally sensitive information.
But, in one Suffolk village where locals have been ordered to cough up cash for the return of a popular local icon, the item being held is distinctly more ordinary.
For in this mysterious case, residents have been told to stump up £20 - or their hopes of seeing a toilet which had been given a floral facelift and afforded pride of place in the village will be flushed down the pan.
Residents in Westhall, near Halesworth, have been baffled by the disappearance of the white porcelain loo, which had proved something of a talking point in the village.
 | | The ransom text message for
the return of the Westhall toilet |
The toilet was found in a nearby ditch a fortnight ago and since then it had taken pride of place in the centre of a 'T' junction, filled with flowers and a St George's flag.
But yesterday , just as it about to feature on BBC Radio Suffolk, the toilet went missing.
It is now being held to ransom.
Cindy Woolnough, who works at Tony's News, said: “I was in the shop when the radio guy came in and said 'Did you know your toilet has gone?' and I was just like 'Oh, no!'
“Then on my way home from work I got an anonymous text message saying 'If you want your toilet back it will cost the village £20'.”
She said she replied asking who the mystery texter was, only to be told: “We are the Gods of the big white telephone liberation society”.
Her colleague, Sarah Jolly, said the mysterious theft has got everyone talking and the toilet did actually look quite pretty.
Tony Whatling, who runs the shop, said: “It's been quite an attraction but it just went missing overnight and no one knows where it has gone.”
Margaret Rogers, clerk for Westhall Parish Council, said as far as she was aware the parish council had not decided to get rid of it.
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