Vandal targets penguin

The vandalism of a bronze penguin sculpture at Campbells Bay beach on has forced a community group to remove it for repairs.

The penguin, which usually stands on a rock beside a playground at the beach, was attacked around October 15, with someone trying to hacksaw the sculpture from its perch.

The theft attempt was abandoned but, when the statue was found, one of its three bolts had been severed and a foot had broken off the figure.

‘‘Whoever thought they were going to whip in and steal it found it harder than they thought,’’ Campbells Bay Community Association chairman Max Thomson said.

The sculpture was one of six installed in the bay earlier this year, paid for by the Campbells Bay Community Association and local residents to commemorate the beach community’s 50-year history of penguin care.

Whenever Sylvia Durrant aka the Bird Lady has unwell little blue penguins in her care, she takes them to the bay’s rock pools to swim with help from fellow Penguin Lady Annwyne Standish. Before them, another resident did the same.

After assessing the damage to the sculpture, the association decided to remove the penguin. It took an hour to saw through the remaining bolts.

‘‘We’re in the process of getting it repaired and removing the likelihood of it happening again,’’ Thomson said.

SUPPLIED Two of the six bronze penguin sculptures found in Campbells Bay.