HAVE you found spiritual enlightenment?

More specifically, have you lost a statue of the human incarnation of spiritual enlightenment?

North Yorkshire Police have appealed to the public after a large metal statue of Buddha was found at a property in Huntington, and a check of recently stolen items showed no matching reports.

PCSO Laura Harper said she had been with the force for eight years, and this was the most unusual item she'd had to help find the owner of.

PCSO Harper said: "Every day is different in this job at the moment, there are always surprises around the corner but this is probably the most unusual item someone's reported. We normally get bikes, wallets, handbags, rucksacks, and try to locate the owners, but this is the first Buddha we've had.

"It was quite fun trying to search our system to work out what someone has put it in as. We tried everything. That brought quite a few giggles in the office."

PCSO Harper said the statue was found by a resident next to their garage in Skewsby Grove, Huntington, along with other items which are believed to have been stolen in recent weeks.

Although the other items which were found with the statue have been reunited with their owners, the foot-high statue itself has yet to be claimed.

PCSO Harper said: "We believe it could have been involved in some form of crime, but nobody has reported a brass Buddha missing.

"It's fairly heavy so whether it's an inside or outdoor ornament, we're not sure. Either way, we would think someone would be missing it."

Police believe the statue was taken from another property at some point in the last two weeks, and have urged anyone with information on its owner, or who has had a similar item stolen, to contact them on 101.