Comedian Jimmy Cricket 'gutted' over wellies theft

Jimmy Cricket's concrete boots were signed by Ken Dodd, who gave them as a 50th birthday present

A pair of concrete wellington boots given to the comedian Jimmy Cricket by fellow funnyman Ken Dodd have been stolen from his garden in Rochdale.

The sculpture, given as a birthday present to the Northern Irish comedian, went missing on Tuesday.

The comedian, who said he was "gutted" about the theft, wears wellingtons marked with the letters R and L, but on the wrong feet, in his act.

He said he had told police to "look for a burglar with a hernia".

The 67-year-old added that the boots "aren't the lightest in the world" and had "high sentimental value" as "Doddy bought me (them) for my 50th".

The comedian, whose real name is James Mulgrew, rose to fame in the 1970s after winning a TV talent show.

He went on to star in his own headline shows on ITV and BBC Radio 2 and appeared in the video for Peter Kay's 2007 Comic Relief single.

Greater Manchester Police said they were investigating the incident.