A Moray fund-raiser, has bounced back after metal thieves stole a giant ball of wire which he had been building in aid of sick children.
Brian Henderson was heartbroken when the £1,000 copper creation was stolen from his Elgin home before he could sell it on behalf of Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
However, the volunteer decided to have a clear-out of the other metals he has assembled since he started collecting scrap from local businesses in April, and raised an impressive £2,500.
The sale means the Archie Foundation, which raises money for the hospital, will get its £1,00 – and Mr Henderson will be able to put up a reward for information about the theft.
Last night, supporters applauded his generosity, saying he had “a heart of gold”.
Archie Foundation bosses said they were looking forward to visiting him in Elgin so they could shake his hand and say thank you.
Mr Henderson said he was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
“We are willing to stump up £200 as a reward for anyone who might have information on the ball,” he said.
“They stole that ball from the sick. They are stealing from children, and I want my ball back.
“If whoever took it just returns the ball to where it was, we’ll take no further action.”
The ex-forklift driver is heading to Glasgow with his son-in-law this weekend in the hope of finding clues to the whereabouts of his creation.
He said: “I want to carry on. It could be an enormous ball. It could end up in the Guiness Book of Records.”
A spokesman for the Archie Foundation said: “What a star he is, having raised such a wonderful sum of money since the ball went missing.
“We will be delighted to come to Elgin, receive that cheque and to shake his hand.
Gordon Shanks, managing director of Elgin Refrigeration Services and Mr Henderson’s main sponsor, said: “Brian has a heart of gold and he’s a very nice lad.
“He has done an awful lot for charity, and we help him along as much as we possibly can.
“We have been giving him some stuff for the past couple of years, and we have known him for a long time.
“He’s a very special person.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Inquiries are still ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with information to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”