A WOMAN is appealing for the person who took her tropical fish from her garden pond to return them.

Over a six-week period, £350 worth of koi carp and ghost koi have been stolen from Gill Hetherington's pond in the garden of her home in Norton.

She bought the fish for her husband, Geoff, who went on sick leave from work suffering from stress and depression.

Mrs Hetherington said: "The fish helped my husband and were very therapeutic."

It has taken her four years to get the pond established and she is urging other people to be vigilant if considering buying fish from unknown sellers as some of hers were infected.

Mrs Hetherington said: "Some of the fish taken have an infection which can be maintained in my own pond, but I am now worried they will contaminate other fish."