Thieves snatch sign from bridge

ASTOCKPORT community is appealing for information after a hand made sign was stolen from a bridge.

It is thought the Heaton Norris sign was taken from Belmont Bridge, on Wellington Road North, at some point between Saturday night (July 28) and Sunday morning.

The sign was one of a number made especially for the four Heatons – Heaton Norris, Heaton Moor, Heaton Chapel and Heaton Mersey – with a logo made up of four Hs to represent the four areas.

They were designed and funded by the Heatons Heritage Society and Stockport council as part of efforts to give the area its own distinctive identity.

Phil Rowbotham, chairman of the heritage society, noticed the sign had disappeared and reported the theft to the police.

He said: “It’s hard to say exactly when it was taken, but I drive up and down the A6 every day and I would have noticed if it had not been there before Saturday night.

“This kind of thing does not help when you are trying to improve an area.”

The signs, which were put on display about a year ago, were all hand made and hand painted in non-political colours and Phil says the one taken will not be easy to replace.

He added: “We spent a lot of time discussing it with the council and they also gave some funding towards the plaques.

“They are valuable to the area, but they have virtually no scrap value.

“The sign was a one-off and very distinctive so, you never know, we might get it back.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the theft had been reported to them – anyone with any information is asked to call 101.