THIEVES who took an unusual scarecrow have handed him back - after an appeal in the Evening Times.

Jason Rolland, from Craigend, Glasgow, made the unique creation from his chemotherapy mask after treatment for cancer and placed it in his allotment.

Last week we told how vandals stole the scarecrow his daughter Abbey, 7, had helped to make.

But the scarecrow has been returned to pride of place in the Budhill and Springboig allotments.

And the cheeky thieves even left a note reading "I was a wee bit fed up and thought I'd go on holiday ... but it's good to be home."

Mr Rolland said: "One of the boys at the allotments rang me and said "There's a wee surprise waiting for you". I couldn't believe it when I saw him. Whoever stole him had a conscience and thought they would give him back.

"I was well chuffed and my wee girl will also be chuffed to see him home again."

Mr Rolland was diagnosed with throat cancer last December. Doctors told him he had tumours on his tonsils, lymph node and jugular vein.

He was taken into the Beatson Cancer Centre at Gartnavel, where, after a 10-hour surgery to remove the growths, he had 23 days of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The 37-year-old's treatment involved doctors making a mask of his face and throat so they could target the radiation.

At the end of the intensive course of therapy he took the mask home as a reminder of how far he had come in beating the disease.

Determined to keep his sense of humour, Mr Rolland and daughter Abbey turned the mask into a scarecrow.

The dad, who has also has a one-year-old daughter, Emily, was disgusted to discover thieves had taken their garden statue.

But after his plea in our paper for the mask's return Mr Rolland says he was overwhelmed with e-mails and messages of support.

He added: "I could not believe the response I got and the quick return of the scarecrow after just a few days.

"It is great to know that if you have a problem like this you can go to the Evening Times for help and get a good result.

"I have no idea who might have taken it. I'm just glad it's back.

"I'm going to paint a smile on his face now he's home. And I am going to plant the scarecrow in concrete so he can't go on "holiday" again."