THE Tele hits TV screens today in a crime show after helping to solve the mystery of a stolen garden statue.

BBC bosses spotted our investigation into the bizarre theft of a Super Mario stone sculpture from outside Gourock man George Docherty’s home.

The unusual story will now feature in daytime show ‘Thief Trackers’ which is being aired on BBC One this morning at 11.45am.

Our reporter Rosemary Lowne, who wrote a series of stories about the theft before the statue was discovered nearly a year later, will appear on the show.

Tele editor Brian Hossack said: “We were delighted to be able to help reunite George with his statue, and Rosemary deserves all the credit for that.

“It was a quirky story, a great example of good old-fashioned local journalism, and I wasn’t surprised when we got the call from the BBC looking to feature it on their show.

“It’s heartening that our readers still turn to us when they are in trouble or in need of help.

“We are proud that we still hold that place in the community — and on this occasion we are delighted to have come up trumps.”

George had contacted the police last year after his statue was stolen from the wall next to his driveway in Ailsa Road.

When officers were unable to help him trace the statue he turned to the Tele for help.

After our coverage alerted readers right across the district, the statue turned up.

Nine months later, Drew Haughey, a journalism graduate from Reservoir Road in Gourock, pictured with George, stumbled across it whilst out walking up Lyle Hill.

He said at the time: “When I got home I posted something on Facebook saying I’d found a statue of Super Mario.

“A few people got back to me to tell me that it was the statue that had gone missing, so I messaged the Telegraph and also phoned the police station.

“I thought the police officer I spoke to was going to hang up because she thought it was a wind-up! She said it was the weirdest call she’d ever got.”

George was over-the-moon the get his statue back.

He said: “I was chuffed to bits. 

“I think that the Telegraph and Facebook appeals helped as the more people who knew about it the better.”