Shocking video footage has emerged showing an elderly neighbour deliberately destroying a carefully built snowman that was a surprise for a five-year-old boy.
The Heartbreaking Discovery
Steve Curtis, 35, had spent 45 minutes constructing a four-foot snowman for his son, Jacob, after the youngster's first attempt was knocked down. The sculpture, nicknamed the "snow child," stood proudly on the pavement near their front door in Bournemouth following heavy snowfall. However, upon returning from a walk into town on Monday afternoon, Mr Curtis and Jacob found it had vanished.
"He was upset so as a surprise I thought I'd rebuild one," explained Mr Curtis. Determined to protect the new creation, he set up his phone to film the area. When he checked the footage later that day, he was stunned by what he saw.
The CCTV Footage That Said It All
The recording, timestamped at 2.45pm on Monday, shows the pensioner neighbour first clearing snow from around his car. He then strolls over to the snowman, which Mr Curtis insists was "nowhere near his car," and proceeds to slice its head clean off with his shovel. Within seconds, the rest of the figure is reduced to slush.
"When I finished work and came home I couldn't believe it had happened again," said a dismayed Mr Curtis. "What kind of miserable git deliberately destroys a little lad's snowman? It wasn't doing any harm. It's hard to know what he was thinking."
Community Outrage and a Wooden Cross
After posting the footage on social media, Mr Curtis was flooded with comments of support from outraged users. One person branded the neighbour a "nasty man" who should be "named and shamed," while another commented on the act's poor "karmic energy."
In a poignant response to the loss, five-year-old Jacob made a small wooden cross and placed it on the spot where his snowman once stood. The incident has sparked a local conversation about community spirit and neighbourly conduct, particularly during the winter season when such simple joys are cherished by children.
