IT'S got nothing to do with David Beckham - but Fair Oak and Horton Heath Parish Council want their golden balls back.

Two golden globes that stood on top of special gates installed to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee at Fair Oak's New Century Park have gone missing.

The council spent thousands of pounds on upgrading what was previously known as the Shorts Road Recreation Ground before giving it a new name.

Special ornate gates marking the millennium were installed on the Shorts Road side of the park and a second set of special gates were put up two years ago to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Now, parish clerk Cheryl Gosling says the two golden balls - made of galvanised steel - have been stolen from the top of the gates and are nowhere to be seen in the park.

She said: "It would have taken two people to have lifted them off the top of the gates. They are not extremely valuable, but they were made uniquely for those gates.

"The parish council spent funds to commemorate the Golden Jubilee and we want them back. If they are not returned we will have to replace them and that will cost residents."

The clerk added that the parish council believed vandals may have been responsible.

"We have had windows broken at the rear of the village hall out of view of CCTV cameras and further up the road, one cycle sign from a footpath going towards Witt Road has gone missing and another has been defaced."

Eastleigh police confirmed that the theft had been reported and said it would have taken somewhere in the region of 30 minutes to remove the ornamental balls which had been glued and screwed into place.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to contact the crimedesk at Eastleigh police station on 0845 045 4545.