THE landlady of a well known West Devon pub has appealed to the conscience of thieves to return a chair, which had belonged to her late grandmother, after it was taken from her lounge. Sally Thomson, who runs the Highwayman Inn at Sourton, along with her husband Bruce, said the rosewood chair and a fire extinguisher went missing late on Saturday evening on February 17. The Highwayman Inn, which has been described as the 'most unusual pub in Britain', has a collection of Gothic arches, a wooden door from a whaler, a serpent and a myriad of antiques and bric-a-brac curiosities. Between 8.45pm and 9.45pm a men's sports team, dressed in green and white hooped shirts with a thin red band around the chest, and white shorts, were in the bar and Sally would be grateful to hear from them if they have any information which could help her find her grandmother's chair. The team, around 20 men, left in a minibus. She said she is not concerned about the fire extinguisher but would really like to have the chair back, which is of sentimental value to her more than monetary value. Sally, whose family have owned the pub since 1959, told the Times: 'The chair belonged to my grandmother. This is the first time something like this has happened and it is a shame. 'We appeal to the culprits' better nature and hope they will return it because it has great sentimental value to me. I and the chair have been here since 1959 and the only way I can describe it is it feels like I have lost a family pet.' Sally said she would be prepared to give a 'reward' to charity for information leading to the safe return of the chair. RIGHT: Sally and the remaining chair of the pair. Picture by James Bird
