FOUR bronze tortoises stolen from a historic Dorset mansion nearly 30 years ago have finally returned home.
The bronzes, made by the sculptor Carlo Marochetti – who would go on to cast the lions guarding Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square – were stolen from Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne, in July 1992.
They were returned to the National Trust property, the former home of 19th century collector and Egyptologist William John Bankes, after one of them was spotted listed for auction earlier this year
James Rothwell, national curator for decorative arts at the National Trust, said: "Hope had faded over the years of recovering the stolen bronzes, and so I was astonished this spring to be contacted by Tim Knox, director of the Royal Collection and a former head curator at the National Trust, to say that he had seen a cast bronze tortoise, made by Marochetti, listed for auction.