Police appeal: please can we have our traffic cones back?

POLICE in the Isles of Scilly were so short of traffic cones before yesterday’s visit of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall that they appealed for people to return them.

Sgt Colin Taylor declared an amnesty for anyone who had “borrowed” any of the cones to get them back.

In a post on the force’s Facebook page yesterday, he said: “I am a few police cones short of a promising career.

“It is looking touch and go for us having enough to mark out a convincing No Parking zone for the Royal visit today. If you have ‘borrowed’ any for ‘projects’, please can we have them back?

“Typically they may be found lurking in garages, gardens, teenagers’ bedrooms, and Methodist Church Hall car parks. If they come back within the fortnight we will spare you even the Paddington Bear stare.

“We can also play along if you want to maintain that you have just found them. If you do locate any, let us know or bring them to the Police Station where I may or may not be still working.”

The couple visited the islands as part of their annual three-day tour of the region.

On St Mary’s, the Duchess came face to face with a large lobster, part of a lobster and crayfish tagging project, which is a European Fisheries Fundsponsored study to monitor numbers. Later, as patron of the UK Vineyards Association, she sampled “delicious” pinot noir at HolyVale Vineyard.