A weekend of Jubilee celebration and a flower festival have ended on a sour note at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle following a series of senseless thefts.

Despite a weekend of celebrations, events and a stunning floral exhibits at Newcastle's  St Nicholas Cathedral the theft of items from the floral exhibitions including military medals, map making instruments and a vintage flying scarf were stolen over the course of the jubilee weekend.

The flower festival which was opened by the Duchess of Northumberland attracted more than 2000 visitors during the weekend and was supplemented with a series of evening concerts and a fringe fashion show as part of Newcastle Fashion Week.
The reverend canon Sheila Bamber commenting on the senseless thefts said:"It outrageous that people should just come in and take stuff from displays that people have spent many days preparing. These displays were designed to be part of the celebration of a great occasion in our nation’s life and stealing from them is a wanton act of selfishness and blatant disregard for anyone else. I simply can't understand what makes anyone stoop so low as to steal items that have very little monetary value but to their owners are priceless in term of sentimental value. These thieves have just wandered in willfully and spoil other people's parties and celebrations, it's not on, it simply isn't.”
Flower festival chief florist Margaret Vickers said: “I think it is a terrible thing that someone would steal medals that someone had fought in wars to protect the freedom of our nation had won. What were they thinking of? I don’t know if they stole them for money, I hope not. We have contacted the Police and they have taken statements and notified all of the local businesses dealing in such items to be on the lookout, but I don’t hold out much hope that they will be recovered.”

Canon Sheila added: “This is not the first time this has happen here at St Nicholas Cathedral. Last year we had a collection box stolen, that was another stupid and outrageous theft, the box contained less than £20 it's just senseless. This kind of thing happens in Churches but I think we are quite vulnerable here in the city-centre.”

Members of the public that might have any information relating to these thefts are asked to contact the Cathedral or the Police.

Canon Sheila Bamber is leaving her position at St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle to take on a new challenge - and it represents a homecoming as she returns to the Diocese of Durham. 

 Sheila has been appointed Canon Provost at Sunderland Minster, the only Minster to have such a post. It means she will oversee all the Minster’s activities.