North Tyneside Council say they are "heartbroken" after the famous Wooden Dolly figurine in North Shields was "badly" vandalised.
The council said repairing the damage would "not be an easy fix" and is likely to take "a few months", adding that the vandalism was "extremely disappointing" following recent restoration of the Wooden Dolly.
The statue, depicting a fishwife with a basket, was restored in 2020 after more than 60 years standing in the centre of Northumberland Square. But it will now need to be removed again for the work to be completed following vandalism.
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The first of North Shields' wooden dolls was placed at the entrance to Customs House Quay, on Liddell Street, in 1814. It became a tradition for mariners to shave pieces of wood from the figure as good luck charms before going to sea.
A replacement doll was made each time the previous version was defaced beyond recognition. The Northumberland Square dolly is the fifth statue of its kind and has been located in the square since 1958.
Posting on Twitter, North Tyneside Council said: "We are heartbroken to announce that the famous North Shields Wooden Dolly in Northumberland Square has been badly vandalised.
"This is not an easy fix and will require removal for repair and will likely take a few months.
"This is extremely disappointing following the recent restoration works she has undergone as part of the investment we are putting into North Shields.
"We are working with our community protection partners to ensure that incidents of this nature do not happen again."
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