A serial plant thief has been warned to be on their guard — after targeting one of Ayr's newest restaurants.
Fed-up bosses at Tempura have seen pretty shrubbery nicked from outside their door four times in recent months.
Now they've launched a quirky fightback with the aid of a giant human sunflower.
Tempura co-owner Brandon Van Rensburg and business partner, Mark Blake, are refusing to take the green fingered raids lying down.
Brandon, 36, told Ayrshire Live: "It's been frustrating as it's all very random.
"It could just be kids thinking they're having a laugh, but that doesn't make it any better.
"We're two guys who are trying to invest in the top of the town and make this place a success.
"We've transformed the building and it's looking great, so for someone to think they can repeatedly come along and do this is disappointing."
Brandon and Mark are now laying series of "traps" to catch their flower pot fiend.
And Mark has even taken to a wacky disguise in a bid to blend in with the greenery.
Brandon laughed: "We had the idea to buy the costume and filmed a video which got a great reaction on our social channels.
"I suppose we're just trying to turn a negative into a positive in some way.
"We were blown away the other day when a young lad called Harris came in with plants completely off his own back after seeing what had happened.
"And hopefully now that we've got our new traps in place this will be an end of it."
Brandon, who was formerly head of openings at Buzzworks Holdings, has seen his Beresford Terrace venture soar since taking the plunge with Mark in November.
He said: "We both worked together at Buzzworks and really wanted to go for this challenge.
"A lot of people thought we were mad doing it during a pandemic and we've only had customers inside for a few weeks because of the restrictions.
"But thankfully things are beginning to look up now and long may that continue."
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