John Ireland contacted Peter Weldon during autumn 2007 because his splendid French gates at the entrance to the Broxton Hall hotel had been stolen! Overnight they had disappeared simply lifted from their hinges, probably using a hi-ab crane. The hinges were simple peg hinges and it was only the immense weight of the gates that held the gates in place.

The only photograph of the original gates was taken when the gates were open. Using this and manipulating the design in the computer programme photoshop, Peter was able to re-create the design closely. Each spear head is forged by hand and all vertical round sections pass through thick horizontal bars. All is galvanised as standard and heavily painted in Lechler paints. He also modified the posts and supplied theft proof hinges so that they would never vanish again.