Stanley the missing penguin returns home

Emperor penguin Stanley is back home with his smaller king penguin cousin, Ernest

Stanley the model penguin has finally made it back home after he went missing before Christmas.

The 1.2 metre-tall statue - which is made of glass fibre - became the subject of a social media appeal after it disappeared.

Stanley was taken overnight on 14-15 December from his home in Buckinghamshire, but was found after someone recognised it from news reports.

Julia said it was "amazing" to have Stanley back home

Stanley's owner, Julia, who is 72, said she was delighted to get him back after three months.

The emperor penguin, which has a damaged beak, had originally been part of a display at Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park.

But her son 'rescued' it in 2019 and gave it to his parents.

Police said the penguin was spotted in a back garden not far away and officers "spoke to the resident, who said they found the penguin at a car boot sale".

Officers explained it was stolen, "and the resident let them take it back home to its owners".