A NEWPORT man is offering a reward to anyone who helps him recover his unique garden bench.

Philip Jennings, 54, returned to his home in Clement Atlee Drive on Wednesday with his wife Cynthia after a week’s holiday in New York to discover the bench, worth £500, had been stolen from his back garden.

It is believed the bench was stolen while Mr and Mrs Jennings were being picked up from Heathrow Airport by their son Timothy, 19.

Timothy had left the house at around 4am on Wednesday at which point the bench was still in the garden.

When the family returned at lunchtime, they found the gate leading to the back garden had been broken and the bench taken. Nothing else was stolen and no other damage was done.

Mr Jennings said he reported the matter to the police on Wednesday lunchtime.

Mr and Mrs Jennings, who had been celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary in New York, bought the bench around four months ago direct from the designer.

The bench is a unique carved design showing two black bears holding up the seat.

Mr Jennings said: "We just arrived back and it had been taken. It must have been taken while my son was picking us up.

"It is a very unique bench and I am prepared to offer a reward for information which leads to an arrest and recovery of the bench."