Bosses at a major international sculpture exhibition in Ellesmere have drafted in a specialist security firm after it was targeted by vandals just days after the display was unveiled.
Organisers of the Extramuros exhibition have had to hire the company to beef up security at the mere after one of the pieces was damaged.
The damage is not described as serious, but patrols are being increased in a bid to protect the 12 sculptures, which arrived in Ellesmere this week from other parts of England, Spain and Portugal.
The exhibition only opened on Wednesday, and Qube chief executive Trudi Graham, who developed the idea, said she was disappointed to see something that benefits the town being targeted by vandals.
She said: “I suppose people will always have a go at things like this, but fortunately the damage is not serious. We have now organised for a security firm to patrol the area.
“It is a shame that people have to do this kind of thing, because they are just stopping other people enjoying themselves.”
The exhibition which is helping to launch the 2007 tourism season in Ellesmere, will later move to Andalucia, in southern Spain, Portugal and Asturias, in northern Spain.
The sculptures, which run from Moors car park, past the Boathouse Restaurant, and through Cremorne Gardens, will remain on display in the town until June.
Three of the pieces created locally for the exhibition are expected to return to Ellesmere for permanent display in summer 2008.
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