This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/21/case-of-the-missing-cones-leaves-island-police-feeling-scilly

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Case of the missing cones leaves island police feeling Scilly Case of the missing cones leaves island police feeling Scilly
(about 2 hours later)
Preparations were in full swing. The wine was uncorked, the lunch prepared, the bunting strung up. Islanders had even thought to bind the claws of a giant lobster so the royal visitors did not get a nasty nip. Preparations were in full swing. The wine was uncorked, the lunch prepared, the bunting strung up. Islanders had even thought to bind the claws of a giant lobster so the royal visitors did not get a nasty nip. But then, just before Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were due to arrive on the Isles of Scilly, police there realised they had a problem – a shortage of traffic cones to mark out a no parking zone for the visit.
But then just before Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were due to arrive on the Isles of Scilly, police there realised they had a problem – a shortage of traffic cones to mark out a no parking zone for the visit. Sgt Colin Taylor, in charge of law enforcement on this chunk of paradise 30 miles off the British mainland, declared an amnesty for cone “borrowers”. Writing on the Scilly police’s Facebook page, Taylor said: “I am a few police cones short of a promising career. It is looking touch and go for us having enough to mark out a convincing ‘No Parking’ zone for the royal visit. If you have ‘borrowed’ any for ‘projects’, please can we have them back? Typically, they may be found lurking in garages, gardens, teenagers’ bedrooms, and Methodist church hall car parks.
Sgt Colin Taylor, in charge of law enforcement on this chunk of paradise 30 miles off the British mainland, declared an amnesty on cone “borrowers”.
Writing on the Scilly police’s Facebook page, Taylor said: “I am a few police cones short of a promising career. It is looking touch and go for us having enough to mark out a convincing ‘No Parking’ zone for the royal visit.
Cone Amnesty https://t.co/RmYISxp3yh pic.twitter.com/cVKHF5PFnQCone Amnesty https://t.co/RmYISxp3yh pic.twitter.com/cVKHF5PFnQ
“If you have ‘borrowed’ any for ‘projects’ please can we have them back? Typically they may be found lurking in garages, gardens, teenagers’ bedrooms, and Methodist church hall car parks. “If they come back, we will spare you even the Paddington Bear stare. We can also play along if you want to maintain that you have just found them. If you do locate any, let us know or bring them to the police station, where I may or may not be still working.”
“If they come back we will spare you even the Paddington Bear stare. We can also play along if you want to maintain that you have just found them. If you do locate any, let us know or bring them to the police station where I may or may not be still working.”
Scilly is often dubbed the “land that crime forgot” – though Taylor and his team have been (relatively) busy this summer. Earlier this month the force leapt into action after a man went to the tiny police station on the archipelago’s main island of St Mary’s concerned that a parking ticket had been slapped on his hired golf-style buggy.Scilly is often dubbed the “land that crime forgot” – though Taylor and his team have been (relatively) busy this summer. Earlier this month the force leapt into action after a man went to the tiny police station on the archipelago’s main island of St Mary’s concerned that a parking ticket had been slapped on his hired golf-style buggy.
Related: Fake parking ticket on buggy shatters calm of Isles of Scilly
Officers assured him that he had been parked legally and the ticket was the work of a fraudster. They have warned they consider the ticket a possible act of malicious communication, an offence carrying a maximum of six months in jail.Officers assured him that he had been parked legally and the ticket was the work of a fraudster. They have warned they consider the ticket a possible act of malicious communication, an offence carrying a maximum of six months in jail.
Taylor, who has a cult following on social media, describes his patch as “like Heartbeat but less frenetic” on his Twitter profile. Recent jobs he and his fellow officers have had to tackle include rushing to the aid of a stray seal pup that had found its way onto the high street and resolving a drunken row between two chefs on the relative merits of rock salt and sea salt. Taylor, who has a cult following on social media, describes his patch as “like Heartbeat, but less frenetic” on his Twitter profile. Recent jobs he and his fellow officers have had to tackle include rushing to the aid of a stray seal pup that had found its way on to the high street and resolving a drunken row between two chefs on the relative merits of rock salt and sea salt.
Enough cones were found and the royal visit passed without disaster. Charles and Camilla enjoyed produce including wine from the Holy Vale vineyard on St Mary’s and fudge from Veronica Farm on the smaller island of Bryher.Enough cones were found and the royal visit passed without disaster. Charles and Camilla enjoyed produce including wine from the Holy Vale vineyard on St Mary’s and fudge from Veronica Farm on the smaller island of Bryher.
The duchess came face to face with a large female lobster during a visit to the lobster and crawfish tagging project – and thanks to good forward planning was not nipped.The duchess came face to face with a large female lobster during a visit to the lobster and crawfish tagging project – and thanks to good forward planning was not nipped.