A 105-year-old cliff-side funicular railway in Hastings East Sussex England has been stolen by thieves in what has been labelled the "steal of the century".
A spokesman for Hastings council said "We couldn't believe it; we locked it up before going home and all seemed well, next morning all that was left was a gap in the side of the cliff where the railway used to be".
It is thought that the railway may have been stolen to order. It is known that railways fetch a lot of money in Scotland where sheer rock faces are crying out for funicular railways.
Already the council have put in place a rope ladder so local people can still get to the top of the cliff without having to use the path which is a good two hundred meters further to the left of where the railway used to be.
An emergency council meeting decided to put out a £300 reward for anyone who has any information as to who stole the railway and to its whereabouts.
This is the second time this year (2007) that Hastings has had a local attraction stolen, last January the White Rock Theatre disappeared after the disastrous pantomime season.
"We can only hope our attractions are quickly found and put back in there rightful places"
The spokesman refused to comment on how the new once a fortnight bin collection is affecting the local community.
