The weather vane – a colourful metal peacock - belongs to elderly Kathleen Johnson, of Roseacre Place, St Annes.

But the 40-year-old sign, bought by her husband, was taken on Saturday night.

Mrs Johnson's daughter, Sally Aspinall, 64, of Wrea Green, said her mother was very upset.

"She's had it at two houses – Cyprus Avenue and here in St Annes.

"My father bought it from a chap in Lytham. A peacock was the insignia of a company my father worked for."

She added: "It has a proper glass eye. My father had a friend who made glass eyes."

Sally said she was not sure whether its disappearance from the flat garage roof was simply a prank, or that someone had stolen the bird to sell on.

"I thought it might be lurking in someone's garden as a prank or gone to a scrap dealer," she said.

"They have left the NSEW, it's just the peacock that they have pinched. it just slotted in the top.

"A couple of weeks ago my sister was staying there with a friend and they heard noises outside late at night and phoned the police. It was youngsters jumping on a van, and they heard them again on Saturday."

The theft has been reported to the police.

"It would be nice to get it back. My mother is really upset," said Sally.

Anyone with information as to the wherebaouts of the weather vane is asked to contact police.