They were found in woodland with a handful of chums, encircled by 12 solar-powered lights with a few empty beer cans scattered nearby.

Their lair was discovered by a dog-walker in woods near Fishburn, Co Durham, after a spate of thefts from gardens in the area. He recognised the lights as his own, and called police.

“It was like walking into a garden centre,” said Ernie Peacock, 71. Beat officer Keith Todd said the woodland tableau lit up “like Blackpool illuminations” after dark.

The policeman loaded the gnomes and lights into his car and then toured the area before returning them to their rightful owners.

But yesterday these three gnomes and a ceramic toadstool remained unclaimed.PC Todd said last night: “This amounts to a mini crimewave.”