Restored Greyfriars Bobby vandalised
A FAMOUS statue of Grey-friars Bobby has been vandalised just hours after restoration work was carried out on the dog’s nose.
The popular tourist attraction was repaired earlier this week to reverse years of wear and tear caused by people rubbing the terrier’s snout for luck.
But the Edinburgh monument was damaged less than 48 hours later in an act of vandalism, police said.
An abrasive material was deliberately used on the nose, stripping the repaired area on the bronze statue and causing around £300 of damage.
Police are carrying out inquiries locally and are urging anyone with information to contact them.
The damage at the George IV Bridge location was done some time between 1pm on Tuesday and 5pm on Wednesday.
Pc Nick Davies said: “This crime is as unusual as it is disappointing to observe. The statue is a beloved tourist attraction and is also very popular with Edinburgh’s local residents.
“The nose has recently been touched up to restore it following years of wear and at first it was believed the repair had not adhered correctly to the monument. However, we are now treating this as an act of vandalism after discovering that an abrasive has been used to remove the material from the repaired area.”
Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s culture and sport convener, said: “The work carried out should have lasted for a number of years and it is highly unlikely that it would have worn away naturally in such a short space of time.
“We will, of course, organise the repair work to be undertaken again and hope that in future people respect the statue of Greyfriars Bobby.”
Police Scotland can be called on the non-emergency number 101.