When the Snowman came to life in Raymond Briggs’ tale and flew away, his little creator was stunned.

But for small business owner Anna Bell, the disappearance of her handmade wooden snowmen has left her feeling frustrated.

Mrs Bell, who runs Anna Outdoors which offers a range of creative services to support learning outside the classroom, has been working with Swale Borough Council to deliver nature and craft-based events at Oare Gunpowder Works Country Park.

The 32-year-old spent hours making 20 beautiful wooden snowmen for a Christmas trail for children which were dotted around the site.

But on the afternoon of Saturday, December 7, Mrs Bell - who set up her company last November -was dismayed to find her 12-inch snowy figures had been thoughtlessly swiped.

“I understand they are nice and people might take one, but to take all of them is just a bit mean,” she said.

“I spent ages working on them, making them out of wood and giving them proper noses and painting them.

“It is really frustrating that they have been taken, and I was really gutted. It is supposed to be a nice thing for children to make them happy then someone goes and does this. Bah humbug to them.

“After we posted about it on Facebook we got a message to say four had been left outside the West Faversham Community Centre.”

Undeterred by the would-be Scrooges, Mrs Bell has been busy remaking the snowmen she says have been “kidnapped”.

“We could just make the trail with laminated signs but the point is we try and make everything using wood and other materials,” she added.

“If you give up then people have won, you’ve got to keep going. We’ve seen too many smiley faces to give up.”

Mrs Bell - who recently moved from Oare to Canterbury - hopes her creations will be returned.

The team at Anna Outdoors offer learning programmes and fieldwork study days for schools at Oare Gunpowder Works, Reculver Country Park and Westgate Park.

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