The Northern Echo revealed yesterday how police wanted to speak to a former mayor after the disappearance of more than £5,000 belonging to local gardeners. Joe Willis digs deeper into the mysterious case of the missing leek club prize money.

MEMBERS of Colburn Lodge Leek Club are more than a little cheesed off.

The gardeners gathered on Friday, each expecting to receive at least £200 in prize money won at the club's annual contest.

A buffet was laid on at the Lodge and the bar was doing brisk trade as members anticipated receipt of their winnings.

But as the evening wore on, it became apparent that club treasurer Tom Henry was not coming with the money and trophies.

The whereabouts of the former mayor and Lodge barman is not known.

There was no answer yesterday at the house he shared with his wife and two children in Meadowfield Road, Colburn.

The house is not empty; a sofa, bird cage and the washing up are clearly visible through tatty net curtains.

Someone has thrown eggs at the front window.

In the back garden, one solitary leek lies unearthed on a raised bed. The rest of the garden is overgrown and littered with rubbish.

Some residents speculated that Mr Henry is visiting his brother in Ireland.

What is clear to the club's 20-plus members is that more than £5,500 is unaccounted for.

There was talk of little else on the streets of the North Yorkshire town yesterday.

Mr Henry was well-known in the town as a community leader and for his fundraising.

In recent years, he has raised considerable amounts for the Great North Air Ambulance. A spokesman for the service said Mr Henry had been a valued volunteer.

And when thieves stole a pensioner's purse earlier this year, Mr Henry was one of the first to condemn the incident - and launch an appeal to replace the missing cash.

On Monday night, Colburn Town Council agreed to accept Councillor Henry's resignation. He has also resigned from his job as a groundsman for Richmondshire District Council.

A council spokesman said Mr Henry failed to turn up for work on Monday.

"We have since received notice that he has resigned with immediate effect," he said.

Meanwhile, Sue King, landlady of Colburn Lodge, said leek club members were using humour to deal with the loss of the money - cash which many were planning to save for Christmas.

She said "Keep on Running" and "Runaway" were among jukebox songs dedicated by club members to her former barman on Saturday night.

A meeting will be held at the pub tomorrow to make sure the 30-year-old club keeps going. Fundraising to replace the missing money is also planned.

The community is rallying round in a way that, in other circumstances, the former mayor would have orchestrated.