A 5ft tall nutcracker soldier has been returned to its home at a King's Lynn pub after its theft was captured on CCTV.

The soldier had stood in the doorway of the Wenns Chop and Ale House in the Saturday Market Place, before it was seen being taken by a man at about 10pm on Wednesday, December 15.

However, following an anonymous phone call at about 2pm this afternoon (Sunday, December 19), the nutcracker has been returned after staff say it became "too hot to handle".

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Assistant manager, Hannah Howling, said: "We got a very random phone call this morning saying it had appeared in someone's garden.

"I haven't got a clue how it got there, I don't know whether the person who stole it thought I'm not really going to be able to do a lot with it, so I think it got a bit too hot to handle."

Eastern Daily Press: CCTV footage of the Nutcracker soldier being stolen from The Wenns Chop and Ale House.CCTV footage of the Nutcracker soldier being stolen from The Wenns Chop and Ale House. (Image: The Wenns Chop and Ale House)

Following its return, the pub took to Facebook to thank people who helped to find the Christmas ornament, which has now gone back into the pub's display alongside 5,000 lights inside and outside the pub, real Christmas trees and its fellow nutcracker.

A statement posted to Facebook read: "A special thank you also goes to King's Lynn police with a special mention to PC Marsh and PC Brennock.

"Now, let’s crack on with the Christmas celebrations."