Gnome kidnapper finally 'fesses up after 48 years

The mysterious disappearance of Formby's garden gnomes has finally been solved

The mystery of how an army of gnomes disappeared nearly 50 years ago has finally been solved.

Over the Christmas of 1976, people in the Merseyside town of Formby were gripped by the "abduction" of their garden ornaments and the posting of menacing ransom notes.

After laying low for nearly half a century, the criminal mastermind behind the "gnome-nappings" decided to unburden his conscience, live on BBC Radio 2's Vernon Kay show.

Now aged 62, Arthur admitted he and his then five-year-old brother Colin had been the ones who had terrorised the gnomes of Merseyside.

Vernon Kay heard Arthur's confession live on his BBC Radio 2 show

The figures' disappearance generated national headlines, including a feature by the BBC's current affairs television programme Nationwide.

Victims included the Tinnion family's cherished young gnome Fred, who was wrenched from his concrete base, leaving only his feet behind.

BBC Radio 2 revisited the story on Monday in a segment called Vernon's Vault.

A member of Arthur's family heard the programme and got in touch, leaving a voice note for the show's producers.

"Hi Vernon and team, I was sat at my computer and nearly fell of my chair.

"I know the culprit – he is in fact my cousin – and he tells that story on most Boxing Days."

After nearly 48 years at large, the mystery was finally solved when Arthur 'fessed up live on air and begged for forgiveness.

The gnomes were eventually found and returned to their owners

Arthur, whose surname has not been revealed, said he spotted one of the small figurines while walking home one day.

The then teenager said he thought to himself: "What’s that gnome for? Why do people have gnomes?"

The schoolboy hatched a dastardly plot with his little brother later that night.

The brothers went out on a recce and made notes on all the gnomes they could find in "at least a dozen" local gardens.

"The next night we went out and collected them, so to speak," said Arthur.

"We crafted some pretty amateurish ransom notes," he added.

One of them read:

Listen, your gnome has 72 hours to live. Unless you wrap 25 pence and leave it at the car park by Safeways, near the bowling green, your gnome will go away.

Go away and await further instructions.

This is no hoax.

News of the gnome-nappings was reported in the local paper after police confirmed an investigation had been launched.

"We thought 'Oh My God - we better keep quiet!", said Arthur.

And so they did.

'That was me'

One evening about a month later, Arthur said he and his family were eating their tea in front of the television when the BBC's Nationwide programme featured a story rather too close to home for his liking.

"I was sat with my brother, who was five at the time, and he turns and says ‘that was me and Arthur’."

Arthur said he remembered being roundly told off by his parents... and then sworn to absolute secrecy.

"Over the years, it’s been on my conscience that I did this terrible thing," Arthur told BBC Radio 2.

"The one thing I do regret is one of the gnomes was damaged, and it was concreted in and I think we broke it when we did it.

"I would like to beg forgiveness from all the families that I caused grief."