Felixstowe family's Christmas display damaged by vandals

David Cockroft creates an annual display at his home in Grange Road, Felixstowe which brings joy to walkers heading to a McDonald's restaurant at the Dock Gate One roundabout and visitors to the estate.

Electric wires were snapped when vandals targeted the Christmas display (Image: David Cockroft)

However, on Sunday morning, his family- including wife Leslie and son Charlie, seven- awoke to find the Santa gone and the snowman lying face down on the floor.

READ MORE: Vandals damage equipment at Suffolk football playing field

The Christmas display before the vandal attack (Image: David Cockroft)The Santa was later found just round the corner in Coronation Drive, but the electrical wire that led from the house to light up the figure had been snapped, along with anchor points to hold him in place.

The anchor straps on the snowman were also broken.

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Mr Cockroft summed up the disbelief the family was experiencing as to why somebody would carry out an act of this nature.

David Cockroft with the Santa that was targeted by vandals (Image: David Cockroft)He said: "We have got a seven-year-old son and he could not understand why somebody would do that to our garden when everybody loves it. We have had cards put through our door saying 'thank you for doing the display'".

Mr Cockroft also dresses up as Santa and has visited nurseries in the guise, as well as helping to switch on the Christmas lights in Trimley and at other events.

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"We do try to give back where we can and I just don't know why somebody decided to pull it up and dump it in the garden," he added.

Over the years, he has spent hundreds on the display and has now had to install a security camera in a bid to prevent a repeat of the incident.

"It has really hit my Christmas spirit that somebody would do this and if I'm going to put it out, are they going to do it again?" Mr Cockroft added.