So imagine her surprise when the pair – two large, heavy stone ornaments – turned up on her doorstep three months later along with a blank postcard from Hastings and a stick of rock.

The bizarre series of events have left Mrs Crofts (43), of Welland Avenue, scratching her head about who stole the ornaments and why.

The mum-of-three said: “I bought them from Gilding’s about eight or nine years ago and I was quite upset when they went missing on Red Nose Day back in March.

“For a few weeks afterwards I would go out looking for them. They’re so heavy I thought someone may have dumped them in a ditch or something. But nothing turned up so I thought that was it.”

But Mrs Crofts said she had to do a double-take when, after returning from shopping on Tuesday last week, Duchess and Porky were back home waiting for her, having apparently been on holiday in the East Sussex coastal town of Hastings – a round trip from Gartree of 320 miles.

“I couldn’t believe they were back,” said Mrs Crofts.

“Then I saw the stick of rock and the postcard and I realised someone was having a bit of a laugh here.

“I’m over the moon to have them back - it’s funny how you grow attached to your ornaments.

“I can see the funny side now. We’ve had a laugh about it and I’ve no hard feelings to whoever took them. But it is bizarre.”

Now Mrs Crofts says she has set up a ‘holiday fund‘ for Porky and Duchess’s travels next year, with any money collected going to charity.

She has also contacted the Hastings and St Leonard’s Observer newspaper in the hope one of their readers might have seen the pair on their travels.

Police community support officer (PCSO) Laura Little investigated the theft and said police are looking back into it and will be monitoring the area now they have reappeared.