A MONMOUTH woman had a sinking feeling last week, as she realised that around 70 goldfish from a pond in her front garden had gone missing.

Jane Middleton, of St Thomas Road, first realised that something fishy was going on when she went out to feed the animals, to find only three or four came to the surface.

A theft of this scale is a worry to the home owner, who claims it would take hundreds of pounds to re-stock.

"It wasn't a heron," said Mrs Middleton, "because my bedroom window overlooks the pond and I didn't hear anything.

"A heron wouldn't have taken that many in one night anyway. I am worried that someone has taken them to stock up their own pond.

"They aren't valuable but that doesn't take away from the fact that someone has come onto my property and taken something of mine.

"I have had that pond for 27 years, it is a feature of the place."

If you have any information about the where-abouts of the fish, or have spotted any slippery characters in the area, call the Beacon office.