CHURCHGOERS are appealing for the return of a wooden cross, stolen just after Easter.
The congregation at Anlaby Park Methodist Church hope to get back the Lenten Cross, which was adorned with flowers and placed on the church steps.
They suspect it was taken as an April Fool's Day prank after being placed outside the church in Hull Road, Anlaby Common, on the day after Easter Sunday.
Val Wood, the church's flower co-ordinator, said: "It didn't occur to me that Easter Monday was April 1 but that might have had something to do with it.
"I was walking past the church at lunchtime on Monday when I realised it had gone."
A quick investigation of the local area failed to locate the cross.
But Mrs Wood did find flowers on the pavement in nearby Ditmas Avenue.
Someone else reported seeing flowers strewn in Springhead Lane on Tuesday morning.
The Lenten Cross dressed in flowers symbolises new life but church members realise whoever took it probably did not realise the religious significance.
All they hope is that someone will return the cross.
Mrs Wood, 62, said: "We're just hoping it might have been left in someone's garden or someone might know where it is.
"It's an old cross, you couldn't say it was beautiful.
"It was made many years ago and one of our church members, who was a cabinet-maker, had strengthened it.
"For a couple of years, we put it behind the doors of the church, rather than outside. But people couldn't see it, so we put it outside as part of our outreach to the community.
"It could be returned to us on the understanding there will be no questions asked."
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