THIEVES stole a light-up reindeer from a house in York.

The £80 illumination was taken from the garden of the home of Lynne and Mark Dunning in Bramble Dene, Woodthorpe, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Lynne said the reindeer which lit up in red, white and blue was one of a pair which the couple had bought for this year's display at their home, and had been attached by her electrician husband to an external box.

She said: "They were staked into the gravel and someone's obviously seen it and had the intention to come back and get it.

"We can't believe someone would do something like this. We do a really nice display every year for the community and there's a little girl who comes out from across the road every night to see them."

Lynne said neighbours alerted her to the theft, and she was disappointed that someone would steal a Christmas decoration during the festive period.

She said: "They're just mindless. Why would you?

"We've already started turning them off, but I just can't get my head around it that anyone would take it. How would they benefit from it? If anyone has a bit of heart, then they should bring it back or encourage someone to bring it back."