text: A BRONZE First World War memorial for Scouts, hacked from its plinth by thieves, is to be replaced.
  In July last year, the statue was sawn from its plinth at Polyapes Scout Camp but now a campaign has been launched to replace it.
  The statue — valued at between £50,000 to £100,000 — had been damaged in September 2006 during a previous attempt to steal it.
  It cost the Scouts £4,000 to mend it and it had only just been replaced when it was stolen.
  Now a committee has been set up to raise in excess of £25,000 needed to replace the missing statue with a fibreglass version.
  Cast in 1929, the original statue featured a traditional Boy Scout. It was installed in the Blundell Lane site in Stoke D’Abernon 78 years ago commemorating scouts from Elmbridge, Kingston and South London boroughs who were killed in action in the First World War.
  But Scout leaders believe it was stolen so it could be melted down.
  This week, Richard Doxford, a former 1st Molesey Scout, appealed for help in raising the much-needed funds.
  He said: “It will be replaced in fibreglass. It will look the same as the statue but will not be worth stealing.”
  Anyone interested in helping the fundraising committee should contact Mr Doxford by writing to 30 Cherry Orchard Gardens, West Molesey KT8 1QY.