Average garden theft haul grows to £620

One in 12 Brits aged 50-plus have had items stolen from their garden, a new study reveals.

Claims analysis from Saga Home Insurance shows that the average cost to replace stolen or damaged items is now around £620.

Some 13 per cent of green-fingered over 50s say they would not consider moving because of their garden.

Half of the 10,000 consumers polled said their garden is where they relax, while a fifth said they feel their green space is an escape from the world.

While an estimated two thirds of all UK adults keep items ranging from barbecues and water features to ornamental animals, pixies and gnomes in their garden, the proportion rises to eight in 10 of the over 50s population, the study indicates.

Roger Ramsden, chief executive of Saga Services, said: “People enjoy creating their perfect garden, often investing a great deal of time and money in doing so, and this is particularly prevalent in the over 50s.

“With the average garden insurance claim costing around £620 I would encourage keen gardeners to ensure they have the peace of mind of insurance cover for their precious garden possessions.”