Kidnappers smuggle Warren the rabbit abroad (From News Shopper)

Kidnappers smuggle Warren the rabbit abroad

7:14pm Monday 10th June 2002 in News

IT is nearly a month since one of the resident rabbits at a Belvedere pub was taken hostage.

The brass rabbit was taken by ruthless kidnappers who left a note for Jim Clarke, landlord of the Victoria pub, in Victoria Road.

Now a third note has been delivered to Mr Clarke, with the bitter news the rabbit, christened Warren by his captors, may have been smuggled out of the country to evade discovery

At first the hostage takers told Mr Clarke: "Keep the noise down or the bunny gets it" a reference to live music nights which have just started at the pub.

In a second letter the demands got more extravagant, such as soft toilet tissue in the men's loos, as the kidnappers grew bolder. Then, last weekend, a cab pulled up outside the pub and the cabbie handed Mr Clarke an A4 envelope which had been left at the cab office for delivery.

Inside was a photo of the bunny, blindfolded and gagged in the cockpit of a plane.

The accompany note warned Mr Clarke: "You shouldn't have gone to the press.

"Now Warren has been flown out of the UK. New demands to follow."

Mr Clarke is now desperately worried for the rabbit's safety and doesn't know how Warren will cope with sensory deprivation and foreign food.

"I just want him back home where he belongs and in one piece," he said, pleading with the kidnappers for Warren's safe return.