A CONSERVATION group has spoken of its despair and anger after vandals beheaded one of Blackburn's oldest statues.

Staff arrived for work at Corporation Park this week to find that the head of the statue Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, had been smashed off with a large stone.

Chairman of the Corporation Park Supporters' Group, Pam Simon, said: "I am absolutely disgusted. The people that did this need to be caught.

"I don't know what enjoyment these people can get from doing something like this.

"The people who did this must have very sad lives indeed. I actually feel quite sorry for them.

"But this is not just an issue for the park it is one for the whole town.

"A lot of people have been working very hard to make the town look nice and it is starting to look a lot better.

"What they don't need is somebody like this going around causing wilful damage.

"I would imagine that whoever did this is somebody who has come back into the town because the park has not seen anything like this for a long while."

The statue of Flora was presented to the park in 1871 by T H Fairhurst.

The statue was the work of Thomas Allen from Liverpool who completed several commissions in Blackburn around that time.

Coun Kate Hollern, executive member for leisure and culture for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said she was extremely disappointed.

"It is always disappointing to see this type of wanton vandalism, however this is seen an isolated incident. The Parks and Open Spaces Strategy Section is working closely with the police architectural liaison officer at present to help make sure acts of this nature don't happen in the future."

Corporation Park is set to undergo a period of major refurbishment and restoration, subject to a lottery grant. Security will be enhanced with more CCTV coverage over the next few years and the park will be developed to meet the needs of the community.

Anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour or has any information relating to this or other incidents within the borough's parks can contact David Page, Parks and Community Development Officer, on 01254 682525.