COPDOCK and Washbrook have a new village sign today more than a year after the original was stolen.All 57 children from Copdock Primary School turned out to see if any of their ideas had been incorporated into the design at the unveiling on Thursday.

COPDOCK and Washbrook have a new village sign today more than a year after the original was stolen.

All 57 children from Copdock Primary School turned out to see if any of their ideas had been incorporated into the design at the unveiling on Thursday.

The school ran a competition for pupils to have their say on what the new emblem should feature.

Before the unveiling on Thursday , headteacher Jane Reed said: "We are all very excited to see which of the designs have been included.

"The children were very keen on the project and also interested in the fate of the original sign.

"Many of their designs included the school's bell tower, which is a striking feature in the village, so we are hoping it will be included."

And they were not disappointed as Faye Bartlett, 11, the school's oldest pupil, and Nathan Butters, 5, the youngest, stepped up to unveil the new emblem.

The bell tower was there along the villages' two churches, the brook and a tree representing leafy Copdock.

The original wooden sign was thought to have blown down last year with the villagers left at a loss at to what happened to it.

Then six months later it was spotted at a car boot sale and has not been seen since.

Keith Armes, chairman of the parish council, said: "It is great to get a new sign after a year of absence, but I have no idea how someone could have stolen the wooden one in the first place.

"The new one is wrought iron so it should be safe from thieves."