MALICIOUS spoilsports kidnapped 10 of Ingleton's magnificent bonfire guys, bundled them into a car and left them for "dead" on Storrs Common.

The bizarre attack took place just hours after the bonfire characters went on display ready for judging.

Created by Ingleton's cubs and traders, the guys were proudly placed outside shops, pubs, and other properties last Friday, ready for the village's bonfire spectacular tomorrow (Saturday).

But anti-fun Fawkes protestors targeted 10 of the guys in the village centre, forced them into a car and gruesomely disembowelled them on Storrs Common.

Thankfully the majority were left undamaged but at Helter Skelter books their guy was left hanging with his head slashed.

One of the organisers, landlord Jeremy Thompson, of The Wheatsheaf, said: "It's absolutely beyond us why they would do it.

"It seems so malicious and is very odd. Nearly all the guys which were stolen were made by the cubs."

Nicola Robinson, cub akela, said the children had enjoyed making the guys and were looking forward to seeing them on display.

"The cubs spent a full evening outside making the guys. They brought their own clothes from home and the hay to stuff them was donated," she told the Herald.

"They had a lot of fun doing it and really enjoyed it. We won't have chance to make another one before Saturday.

"It is awful but I am not surprised. We do seem to have people wandering around late at night who may have had one or two drinks too many and have nothing better to do."

Ingleton's bonfire usually attracts between 3,000 and 4,000 people. This year, however, the village has been badly affected by the foot and mouth crisis and traders organised the guy competition to try and bring in more visitors.

Undeterred the event will still go ahead and while the cub's guys are out of the competition the remaining 60 figures will be judged by visitors and the winning guy carried to the bonfire at the Masons Arms, on the A65.

Jeremy adds: "Luckily we still have most of the guys dotted around the village. We have a fantastic firework display and are expecting around 4,000 people on Saturday."

The winning guy will be apprehended tomorrow and carted off to the Masons Arms bonfire with a procession of lanterns. This will leave the Community Centre at 6.30pm with vehicles following carrying other guys to be burnt.

The bonfire will be lit at 7.30pm and the firework display is due to start at 9pm.

The winner of the raffle will be offered the opportunity of pushing the plunger and starting the display.

Meanwhile, police are appealing to anyone who may have seen people acting suspiciously in Ingleton on Friday night to contact them.