Gnome news is bad news

Police confirmed that they are looking for a giant 8ft gnome stolen from the master’s garden at Durham Castle shortly after midnight on Saturday.

It appears that audiences were so appalled by the audacity of the master to display such an ugly ornament that someone decided to steal it.

The gnome as it was last seen.

The blue statue was created by artist Goshka Bialek as part of the Echo of the Lumiere display.

The celebration was a week long, giving the perpetrators time to knock over the gnome on Thursday night, leaving the porters to pick it up again, and then steal it completely on Saturday.

Whether these incidents are related is unknown, but Goshka Bialek wants the gnome back.

Another of Bialek’s debate-provoking creations.

She said “My gnome was very ugly. And that was the point of it. I made it as ugly as I could – to challenge perceptions and provoke debate on gnomes, ugliness, taste and tolerance. Some students said it was ugly and shouldn’t be in the master’s garden.”

She replied to them “Many people have gnomes in their garden – and they are very proud of them. And we have to be tolerant. People are entitled to have different tastes.”

Perfect for a Project X-style piñata.

The gnome was removed by intolerant thieves between midnight and 12.30am on Saturday.

This comes as part of a craze of gnome stealing, as one second year said “It just feels good to come back with something so utterly useless after a night out.”

Anyone with information should contact Durham Police on 101.