TWO intricate postbox toppers delicately knitted by “the Banksy of Leigh” have been stolen.

Linda Catling has become a sensation around Leigh for her hand-made, colourful and creative postbox toppers.

She has been placing them in Marine Parade and the surrounding area after creating them since Covid lockdown.

However, this week, two of her new postbox toppers have been stolen within 24 hours.

This is not the first time it has happened after a police investigation was launched after two more of her knitted postbox toppers were taken within 72-hours in February.

The initial thefts came despite the postbox toppers being secured on to the postboxes using a chain and padlock.

Linda said: “It is very disappointing and also annoying for me.

“It is such a shame that some people can’t just let us all enjoy them.

“The support from people has been overwhelming though and they are so angry.

“They are encouraging me to continue, which I will do, but perhaps limited. I am very reluctant to stop making them, but I may have to put them on for a few hours at a time and then remove them.”

Linda is partially sighted after losing 50 per cent of her eyesight at the start of the Covid lockdown.

She decided to make a hat for the postbox near her home, and quickly became an online sensation.

Linda has since made more than 60 toppers, including themes around Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Remembrance Day, cancer awareness, and the World Cup.

The two stolen this week are believed to have both been taken on Monday.

One was a May Day theme in Marine Parade, and the other was for the Old Leigh Shanty Festival, placed on the corner opposite Hadleigh Road, and Rectory Grove.

She added: “I haven’t had any of the two back stolen earlier this year. I think these people have no intention of ever handing them back.”

Linda has reported the most recent thefts to police.