A FAMILIAR face has returned home to Lower Gornal after a spell 'behind bars'.

Nearly nine years ago, Jack, the stone pig that had pride of place on the wall outside Roy and Janet Bradley's home in The Straits, was stolen.

The pig, which was placed on the wall in a nod to the legend that Gornal folk 'put the pig on the wall to watch the band go by', had been a village attraction as the couple had dressed it up all year round.

Visitors even left clothes for the pig and it had outfits for all occasions, including Remembrance Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

The couple were devastated when it was taken and after all these years, had given up all hope of being reunited with the pig, which they had since replaced with Jack Junior.

However when they woke up on Friday morning, they found that Jack had been returned to the wall and painted pink with a red and black top with DD2526 HMP WINSON GREEN printed on the back.

Writing on the base of the ornament explained that Jack had just got out of jail after serving eight-and-a-half years.

Mr Bradley said he knew it was the same garden ornament as the drawing pin he had placed in Jack's eye was still there.

He said: "Whoever brought him back has good a good sense of humour. We're glad to have him back.

"I've smartened him up and got him back to how he was now and we've put him in the back garden, there's no need for two pigs on the wall."