PICKLE, 27th March 1966 ON THIS DAY One of the most bizarre thefts in sporting history was solved on this day 47 years ago, when Pickles the dog recovered the missing Jules Rimet World Cup trophy. The solid gold trophy disappeared from a London exhibition hall in March 1966 just months before England was to host the World Cup. Thieves took the £30,000 trophy from the ‘Sport with Stamps’ display at Central Hall in Westminster while a church service was going on in another part of the building, but left stamps worth £3m behind! The trophy went missing on March 20, but was found in a garden in south east London a week later, thanks to a mongrel dog called Pickles.Pickles was out for a walk with his owner David Corbett when the dog sniffed out a suspect package near Mr Corbett’s home.The package, which was wrapped in old newspaper and tied with string, contained the missing Jules Rimet trophy. Mr Corbett returned the trophy to his local police station in Gypsy Hill and was initially linked with its theft, but had an alibi.Police announced the recovery of the trophy the following day, but held on to the Jules Rimet prize as evidence until April 18.They eventually gave it back to the FA in time for the start of the World Cup, which England won for the only time in their history. David Corbett received rewards of more than £6,000, was invited to the players’ celebration dinner after the World Cup Final, while Pickles became a UK celebrity. GO PICKLES!