AN ELDERLY woman has been reunited with her penguin after it was stolen from outside her house.

A callous thief stole the cast-iron bird from Joan Littlehales’ doorstep on Monday night.

News of Percy’s disappearance spread through the village of Rhostyllen on Tuesday and resident Andrew Pritchard found the bird in Bersham river.

Mrs Littlehales, 82, of School Street, Rhostyllen, said she was delighted for Percy to be reunited with his partner Peggy who was left on the doorstep.

Mrs Littlehales said her son Chris, a merchant seaman who often visits the natural home of penguins in Antarctica, presented her with two of the flightless birds crafted from cast-iron and standing about three feet tall about two years ago.

Named Percy and Peggy, they have taken pride of place outside the front door of her elderly person’s bungalow for the past couple of years and been a big hit with neighbours, particularly children.

Mrs Littlehales said: “Thank you to Andrew Pritchard for finding him.

“I haven’t a clue who took him but now he’s reunited with Peggy.

“He’s not damaged.

“A lot of things have been going missing in the village though.”

Mrs Littlehales said the penguins are quite rare as her son had them specially made for her by a blacksmith in Snowdonia.

They recently had a new coat of black, white and yellow paint.

She added: “It must have taken quite a bit of effort to lift him because he is fairly heavy.”