Donkeys Removed from Streets After Being Targeted by Yobs

 

DONKEY statues on display in Weston-super-Mare are being removed following a spate of vandalism.

The donkeys were attacked over the weekend, with the one at Big Lamp corner being stolen and later dumped in Neva Road with one of its legs ripped off.

Another at Dolphin Square, which had been painted by Christ Church Primary school pupils, had its tail ripped off.

A hotel night porter saw another on the seafront being thrown into a skip and he later retrieved it.

Now the decision has been made to remove the resin donkeys from the streets altogether to prevent any further attacks.

Instead they will each be returned to the individual sponsors, who paid £500 for the donkey to be hand painted and for the plinth in which it stood.

They will then be displayed on each of the businesses premises instead.

In total 40 donkeys were made with around half of them placed at locations across the resort.

The initiative was organised by North Somerset Council and the Grand Pier owners to mark the 200th anniversary of tourism in the resort and the opening of the new £51 million pier pavilion.

The idea followed a similar arts initiative in Bath where there was a collection of colourful hand-made pigs put around the town.

The donkeys will be moved to the pier in November to be auctioned off with proceeds going to two local charities.

One donkey will be raffled off, with tickets going on sale locally, to give residents and visitors the chance to own one of them.

Anyone with information about the vandal attacks can contact police on 0845 4567000.