By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 08:59, Saturday, 23 June 2012

A family has been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers, after thieves stole their pet rabbit.

Jay Nixon with his new rabbit

Gizmo was a birthday present for eight-year-old Jay Nixon two years ago, so he was devastated when the bunny was stolen from a padlocked hutch in the front garden of his home in The Laurels, Orgill, Egremont.

Jay has learning difficulties and slight autism, and has struggled to comprehend why anyone would take him. Mum Angela Coulter, 47, spoke of her son’s anguish in the News & Star, warning other pet owners to be aware of thieves.

She said: “I wouldn’t want another child to go through what Jay has gone through; we’ve had some difficult days since Gizmo was stolen. He can’t understand why someone would want to come and take Gizmo. He keeps asking if he’s dead – how do you answer that?”

She added: “Everyone is looking all around Egremont for him, and keeping their ears open in case someone tries to sell him. I hope in time we will find out what happened to him.”

Since the story ran, Ms Coulter has been inundated with messages of goodwill and kind offers of rabbits to replace Gizmo.

“It is so lovely and generous of people,” she said. “A woman called Sue Sellers, from Mirehouse I think, emailed me after reading the article. She breeds rabbits and had been trying to get in touch with me. She said she had a little boy rabbit she would give to Jay.”

Ms Coulter was also contacted via Facebook by a woman in Wigan, who fosters rabbits and was willing to give one to Jay, while Peter Corkhill contacted the News & Star to also offer the youngster a new rabbit.

“It is amazing,” she said. “Nothing can replace Gizmo, but we hope this will help Jay. I am so chuffed to bits that people I don’t know would do this; it’s nice to know there’s nice people out there still.”

Police are still investigating the theft, which happened overnight on Sunday

First published at 08:56, Saturday, 23 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk