A £3,000 bronze sculpture was stolen from a Woodstock art gallery by a “well-to-do” looking thief.

The well-dressed middle-aged man made off with the 12-inch high bronze horse, above, from the Iona House Gallery on Thursday, December 23.

Gallery director Jayne Rumsey said: “One customer was being served and a person came in.

“He was in his 50s or 60s, wearing a woolly hat and raincoat and he had quite nice black shoes, maybe brogues.

“He picked up the item in question, put it inside his coat and left the shop.

“The clothes he was wearing suggested he looked quite well to do.”

The horse bronze, produced by artist Claire Norrington, had been on display at the gallery for about two months.

Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

In October, a rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, worth £6,000, was stolen from the Creative Art Gallery in Oxford Street, Woodstock.

It was discovered by a member of the public outside Boots in Abingdon last month.