West Bromwich sculpture damaged in attack by vandals

The statue, called I Am the King of the Castle, was based outside Queen's Square Shopping Centre in High Street.

It was due to be moved to make way for £8.2 million improvements to the town centre, however the vandal attack has forced council bosses to take it down ahead of schedule. The statue was rocked from its plinth by vandals, leaving it unsteady. The piece of art depicts a lion on top of a castle which stands on the back of an elephant. As part of the £8.2m European Regional Development Fund public realm project, it will be cleaned, put on a new plinth and moved to its new home in Dartmouth Park.

The Friends of Dartmouth Park group has been offered the statue, designed by sculptor Laura Ford, by Sandwell Council.

The Ford sculpture is one of two that will need to be moved because of the revamp.

The other is The Cross in Hand sculpture, which will be repositioned outside the Wesleyan Methodist church on High Street.

The I Am the King of the Castle statue will be put in the park's new sensory garden.

Friends of Dartmouth Park spokesman Carol Hartill said: "Sculptor, Laura Ford, intended her design to be a humorous heraldic representation of Britain's imperial past as it was going to be situated close to Kings Square, Queens Square, Princess Parade and Duchess Parade.

"The Friends are grateful to Sandwell Council for donating the sculpture, which will be a wonderful tactile addition to the sensory garden."

The statue will remain in storage until it moves to its new home.