THIEVES have made off with charity billboards worth just £1.50 each, but which are priceless in advertising for an upcoming event in aid of the RNLI. The two hardboard placards advertising a forthcoming Open Garden at Ugbrooke House on Sunday were taken from the roundabout outside the railway station and from the traffic lights at the bottom of the Exeter Road. They were taken between June 4 and 10. Charities and non-commercial organisations often advertise community events at these prime locations. Publicity officer Roger Hawkins said he is saddened by the theft. 'I just cannot understand why anyone would do this, particularly because the hardboard is of such little worth. 'But it has cost us a lot in terms of advertising. 'Yes, the event is in Chudleigh but it is for the benefit of Teignmouth RNLI and therefore the community as a whole,' he said. The Open Garden at Ugbrooke House is being held courtesy of Lord and Lady Clifford. The Teignmouth Jazz Machine is providing music on the day. Meanwhile,Teignmouth's inshore lifeboat, the Frank and Dorothy, has had a busy few weeks at the start of the season. It was called into action twice on Sunday after two boats broke down. Two adults and four children were stranded after their 20ft speedboat, Miss Dynamite, suffered propeller-shaft failure and went aground on the rocky edge near The Ness. The inshore lifeboat collected one adult and the four children and brought them to safety at Shaldon beach. Crews returned to the speedboat and took it under tow, with its owner, to its mooring at Ringmore. While the crew were dealing with this shout, another call came in to aid the 22ft Bermudan sloop, Jolla, which had suffered mechanical failure en route from Torquay to Teignmouth. The lifeboat towed the yacht through the difficult entrance to the harbour and on to the visitors' pontoon.
