Scotland’s oldest football club are pleading for the return of the head of the club’s mascot after it was stolen.

The unusual theft is understood to have taken place before Christmas at the JB McAlpine Pavilion at Lesser Hampden in Glasgow, the training ground of Queen’s Park.

A tongue-in-cheek message has now been posted on the club's Twitter, under a Missing headline, stating: “Harry the Hoopo’s head has been taken from the pavilion. To date we have received no ransom notes.

“We beseech you all to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for Harry’s head. He is a much loved Queen’s Park figure and we fear that should his head not be returned (on a plate) there will be many young spiders severally disappointed.”

Several Queen’s Park supporters posted humorous messages about the theft on social media, including Jimcent van Gogh, who said: “A bottle of Irn Bru and a packet of cheese and onion Golden Wonder, and I’ll give ye it back.”

A spokesman for the club told STV “it is time to give Harry’s head back".

He said: “It was taken before Christmas as a joke but it has gone on too long now. Harry’s been our mascot for years and the supporters have noticed he’s been missing. He comes out with the child mascots so we’d be very pleased to get his head back.”

Anyone with information on Harry the Hoopo’s head should contact Queen’s Park on 0141 632 1275.