Sick thieves sabotage children's treasure hunt event in Milton Keynes

A delightful story quest designed to amuse and inspire children has been sabotaged in Stony Stratford.

Carefully-painted stones and slabs were hidden around the town to form a trail for youngsters to follow and make up their own stories as they go.

Children can pick up a free map from selected venues in town and follow the instructions to find 10 gold story stones. Every child that completes the Stony Story Quest is rewarded with chocolate treat.

But over the weekend several of the clues - some the form of large painted paving slabs - suddenly disappeared. Others, sadly, have been vandalised.

A spokesman for the quest said: "I'm sad to report that several of our stones have been taken. It was always a possibility. But I am left very sad and disappointed none the less...Please apologise to any disappointed children."

The missing clues has meant one of the quest's two trails has had to be scrapped. But Trail 1 is continuing, say the organisers.

"To combat several of our stones being vandalised or taken, we ask that you add your own story stones at the numbered points on the map," said the spokesman.

She added: "They can take our stones, but they'll never take our artistry."

Free quest maps can be collected from Odells Ironmonger in Stony Stratford, Stony Stratford Library or The Rowans Children's Centre.

For more details see here.