Matlock postbox topper destroyed in 'absolutely shocking' fire

Royal Mail said all the mail inside was removed and not damaged

A knitted postbox topper in the design of a vibrant woodland setting has been destroyed by fire.

The topper, in Asker Lane in Matlock, Derbyshire, was set alight on Friday night, with officers receiving a report just before 11:40 BST on Saturday.

Derbyshire Police said the blaze also caused damage to the postbox itself and appealed for information to help with its inquiries.

Royal Mail said all the mail inside was removed and not damaged.

A tree formed the centrepiece of the topper amid a meadow of carefully crafted flowers and wildlife

Resident Tracey Fudge described the fire as "absolutely shocking".

Ms Fudge said an anonymous crafter in the town regularly made "beautiful" crocheted toppers for the postbox.

"Over recent months, there has been a Christmas topper, a Valentine topper, a world peace topper and most recently, a tree topper," she said.

"They must take this person hours of work and are a delight to see."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We were made aware of this incident on Saturday. All mail was removed, intact and without damage.

"It has been reported to our properties and facilities team, which will be visiting and carrying out an assessment."