Hospice saddened by elephant sculpture damage

An elephant sculpture that forms part of a charity trail of almost 60 has been found damaged a day after going on show.

The elephant in West Bay, Dorset, was found with a number of holes smashed along its head on Saturday.

The charity art trail, Stampede by the Sea, said "as an event organised by, and raising money for, local charity Weldmar Hospicecare, this is really sad".

The free trail, in place until 27 May, is followed by a map or app around Bridport, West Bay, and Lyme Regis.

The charity added it was "disappointing" to find the damage after "so much positivity with the launch of the trail."

Featuring 31 large and 28 smaller elephants it has been created by the specialist end of life care charity and public art trail producer Wild in Art.

After the trail has ended its large artist-decorated sculptures are set to be auctioned at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester in June to raise money for the charity.

One of the elephants been painted by Royal Academy artist Phillip Sutton, 96, who is partially sighted.

Another features a cartoon of Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast host, Steve Harris, by cartoonist Lyndon Wall.

A map of the trail can be found on the Stampede by the Sea website.

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