AN INQUISITIVE dog has uncovered stolen antique violin bows worth �110,000 in an Ipswich park.

Pickles the dog solved the mystery of the missing World Cup – and now another pooch has unravelled the riddle of the stolen �110,000 antique violin bows.

Angel, a nine-year-old former racing greyhound, was sniffing around in an Ipswich park when she discovered the hidden relics, which had gone missing two weeks ago.

British Transport Police have been on the hunt for clues after the historic artefacts belonging to Peter Oxley – an expert in antique bows – were stolen as he made his way by train from London to Ipswich.

The items, which date back to the 19th century, are believed to have been stolen by an opportunist thief while Mr Oxley was sleeping.

He got off a train at Ipswich in order to change to a different line, and it was then that he realised the case had gone missing.

But to his huge relief, the expensive haul has been recovered in Bourne Park.

Angel’s owner, Chris Laflin, said the find had been like the historic moment in 1966 when Pickles found the Jules Rimet trophy on the eve of the World Cup finals in England.

Mr Laflin, 40, of Canterbury Close, was walking Angel on Thursday when she began sniffing around a black bag.

“As we passed it for a second time I thought I would pick it up,” he said.

“I took it home and opened it and just assumed that some kid had dropped it on their way home from school.

“By looking at them, I didn’t think that they could be anything of value so when my friends told me that the story had been in The Evening Star I just couldn’t believe it.

“I’m still shaking because I can’t believe I’ve been carrying around something worth so much money.

“It was like when the World Cup went missing and was found by a dog all over again.”

The most valuable piece was a rare Pierre Simon bow made in France in 1870 and worth �35,000.

When the bows were stolen, Mr Oxley said: “Most of the bows are incredibly rare.

“The thief probably thought it was a case containing billiard cues or perhaps a gun.”

Mr Laflin, a father-of-three who works as a fabricator for his dad’s company Dyer Welding Services, added: “I’m just happy they are going back to their rightful owner, I’m sure they mean a lot to him.”

Dc Alan Reed, of the British Transport Police, said: “Subject to confirmation by the victim when he sees the property, we are very pleased that these valuable items have been found.

“Enquiries are continuing with regard to the circumstances surrounding their theft.”