If you go down to the pub tonight beware if you're offered two bronze hippos!

Police are appealing after the unusual bronze hippo set was swiped from the grounds of a house on the outskirts of Canterbury.

Commissioned by the late John Aspinall, the set was made in Cape Town, and believed to be worth around £15, 000.

Only two sets, which show one full hippo and one head of a hippo, were ever made.

The other set is on display at Port Lympne zoo.

Investigating officer Det Gary Titherly, appealed for information: "These statues are extremely rare and easily recognisable, so I am confident that someone may know where they are.

"Due to the sheer weight of the bronzes they would have been difficult to move and more than one person would have been involved in the crime.

"I would like to hear from anyone who may know where they are."

The statues were taken between 7pm on Wednesday May 6 and 11am on Thursday May 7.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of the statues, or have any information that may help police, please contact police on 01227 762055 quoting reference EY/007781/09. Alternatively contact Kent CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.