RARE RENAISSANCE FOUNTAIN STOLEN

A HUNTING FRIEND OF THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS OFFERED A 'SUBSTANTIAL' REWARD AFTER THIEVES STOLE A RARE £150,000 RENAISSANCE WATER FOUNTAIN FROM HIS COUNTRY ESTATE. OWEN INSKIP A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE CHARTERED SURVEYOR, AND A FORMER SPECIAL ADVISER ON HOUSING TO DAVID CAMERON, DISCOVERED THE 18th CENTURY BRONZE ITALIAN FOUNTAIN MISSING ON SUNDAY. THIEVES FORCED THE ELECTRIC GATES OF HIS PROPERTY DURING THE NIGHT AND ESCAPED WITH THE 12ft TALL FAMILY HEIRLOOM, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF ONLY TWO IN THE WORLD. INSKIP, WHO IS A FIELDMASTER FOR THE PRINCE'S FAVORITE HUNT, THE BEAUFORT, SAID HE FEARED THE PIECE MAY NOW HAVE BEEN MELTED DOWN FOR £100 OF SCRAP METAL. THE FATHER OF TWO WHO LIVES IN SISTON, GLOS, HAS OFFERED A 'LARGE, WORTHWHILE REWARD' FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO ITS RETURN. HE SAID: 'WE BELIEVE THE FOUNTAIN WAS STOLEN SOME TIME ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE FOUNTAIN WASN'T IN SITU, IT WAS BEING STORED IN A LOCKED BARN, AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TWO OF THEM (THIEVES) TO LIFT IT OUT OF PLACE. IT'S A BIT OF A MYSTERY HOW THEY KNEW IT WAS THERE BUT THE POLICE THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNISTIC THEFT. WHAT REALLY WORRIES ME IS THAT THE FOUNTAIN MIGHT GET SOLD FOR SCRAP. IT'S VERY VALUABLE AND HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY FOR 60 YEARS. IT'S OF HUGE SENTIMENTAL VALUE TO ME.' HE SAID HIS PARENTS BOUGHT IT AS AN EXTRA WHEN THEY PURCHASED A HOUSE IN HAMPSHIRE IN 1950. 'HE HAS BEEN WITH ME ALL MY LIFE', HE SAID. INSKIP, WHOSE SON TOM IS A FRIEND OF PRINCE HARRY, WAS ABROAD WHEN HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM HIS HOUSEKEEPER ON SUNDAY MORNING INFORMING HIM OF THE THEFT. THE FOUNTAIN, WHICH DEPICTS A NUMBER OF CHERUBS, WITH ONE SITTING ON A DOLPHIN, WAS NOT ASSEMBLED WHEN IT WAS STOLEN. INSKIP SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE FOUNTAIN WAS STOLEN TO ORDER BECAUSE THE THIEVES DID NOT TAKE THE HEAVY BRONZE LOWER BOWL. 'WITHOUT THE BOWL IT IS OF LIMITED VALUE, COMPLETE IT IS UNIQUE AND EXTRAORDINARILY VALUABLE', HE SAID.