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Life-sized fibreglass cows painted to be fundraisers for Sustrans and Cycling UK have been tampered with at Box Hill in Surrey. The Cycling UK cow – "Cycling Moo Kay" – has been reported missing.
Police are investigating after the cow, painted with cycling scenes, was unbolted from its plinth and taken some time between 8pm yesterday and 6am today.
Cycling Moo Kay is one of more than 60 brightly-coloured cows which have been on show across the county this summer as part of the Surrey Hills CowParade.
All of them will be auctioned off in the autumn, with funds being split between the individual charities who have sponsored them and the Surrey Hills Trust Fund.
Cycling Moo Kay was bought on behalf of Cycling UK by Guildford cyclist Doug Clare, a member of the charity, and painted by Dorking artist Charles Rowbotham.
Cycling UK’s CEO Paul Tuohy, said: “I’m devastated to learn of the theft of Cycling Moo Kay. One of our members, Doug Clare, presented her to us earlier this summer to not only help with some valuable fund-raising for our charity, but also to share a bit of the fun that is cycling.
“I sincerely hope that we are able to recover her, and would urge any members of the public who know anything about her disappearance to contact the Surrey police on 101.”
Sustrans’ Bunnyhop, sponsored by Openhouse Creative, was removed from its plinth but not stolen.
Doug Clare, chairman of G-Bug, the Guildford Cycling Campaign, said: “I’d like to appeal to whoever has stolen Cycling Moo Kay to return her to her rightful place. I can’t imagine she can be sold on or hidden easily, and the whole point of her existence is to raise funds for a very worthy cause."
