MYSTERY surrounds a phone box that was left at a jaunty angle when it was ripped from the ground.

Police are at a loss to explain how the glass and metal structure was uprooted from Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, and would like to hear from any witnesses who can shed light on the incident.

They believe the attack happened sometime between 7am and 8.30am on January 28, but have found no further clues as to how the phone box ended in such a sorry state.

Speculation is rife about the cause, though no answer completely solves the mystery.

Officers initially thought it may have been a wayward car that tore the box from its foundations, but an apparently undamaged sign just in front of it would have made it difficult for any vehicle to make contact.

Others have ventured that it may have been some unruly vandals, but it would have taken a team of weightlifters to move the phone box.

The phone box was removed soon after for safety reasons.

Anyone with a Sherlock-like instinct is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 72.