Police hunt for Superlambanana stolen from garden

Police are on the trail of a Superlambanana after it was stolen from a garden.

The sculpture, a hybrid of a sheep and a banana which has become a symbol of Liverpool, was taken from the front garden of a home in Runcorn, Cheshire, police said.

Thieves made off with the two-and-a-half foot tall ornament, which is about four feet long and painted with brightly coloured stripes and decorations, at about 23:00 on 29 March.

"The ornament has sentimental value to the family and they are keen for its return," a Cheshire Constabulary spokeswoman said.

The Superlambanana was designed in 1998 by Japanese artist Taro Chiezo as part of the Artranspennine festival.

The design is said to have been a comment on the potential dangers of genetic engineering, as well as representing some of the cargo which came through the city's port.

When Liverpool was made European Capital of Culture 2008 more than 100 of the sculptures were decorated by artists, groups and individuals and displayed as part of a Go Superlambananas trail across the city.

Seventy of them were later auctioned off, with some of the items selling for more than £20,000.

A number of Superlambananas can still be seen across the city, including a 17 foot (5.18m) sculpture on Tithebarn Street which was painted in the colours of the Ukraine flag when the Eurovision Song Contest was held in 2023.

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