French horn stolen from Derbyshire designer's home

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-33088481

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A French horn that is the only one of its kind has been stolen from the home of its creator in Derbyshire.

Thieves broke into Tom Fisher's home and took the horn, worth about £5,000, which he says will take six months to replace.

"I drove around the Peak District on my bike the next day hoping to find it in a hedge, but no luck," he said.

His insurer New Moon has offered a £500 reward for anyone who can help trace the instrument.

'Really want it back'

"I spent hundreds of hours on this horn - designing and engineering it - this is a major blow," Mr Fisher said.

"I can only make two a year. I really want it back and was hoping they might fling it over a hedge."

A Derbyshire Police spokesman said the investigation into the theft on 15 May is continuing and appealed to anyone with information to contact them.

New Moon, a specialist firm that insures musical instruments and guns, said the horn was stolen property so anyone buying it should contact the company for the reward.

The distinctive horn has three normal valves and a fourth piston valve in the middle of the instrument that makes it different from most traditional French horns, Mr Fisher said.

A US inventor has made a similar instrument, but this one is the only one of its kind made in Europe, he added.

"It is unique - I had been working on it since Christmas - four or five months at least."

The horn - called a Fisher FD3 - is described on the Fisher Horn website as "very balanced to hold" and "a particularly responsive instrument".