The humble garden gnome is under threat, according to a new survey which found gnomes are a top target for thieves.
Garden Gnomes Need Your Help!
Four out of five gnome-owning households have lost at least one resident to gnome-nappers in the last five years, with the north of England a particular blackspot for unexplained disappearances. In the north-east, the average owner has lost nearly four gnomes in the last five years. The safest places for gnome ownership are the Midlands and the south west.
Gnome owning is back on trend these days, and gardens often have more than one on display: the Welsh are keen owners, with an average of nearly five gnomes per gnome-owning household, while the south west has a more modest population of just over two per garden. The survey, by home insurer HomeProtect, also found gnome owners tend to be older, with about a third over 50 – apart from in the north east, where 64% of those who own gnomes are under 45.