VANDALS have destroyed a sculpture created to celebrate one of the country’s most spectacular landscapes.

The installation at the Sutton Bank National Park Centre, near Thirsk, was vandalised beyond repair in a mindless attack earlier this week.

The bronze and limestone piece was created in 1998 by sixth form students from Thirsk and Easingwold Schools working together with sculptor Chris Kelly.

Individual bronze sculptures depicting the students’ interpretations of the natural and cultural heritage of the North York Moors National Park were sawn off and the sculpture’s large limestone map upended, causing it to crack.

Centre manager Jacqui Abrahamsen said: "This sculpture was much-loved by both staff and visitors so we are deeply upset and angry that someone has chosen to carry out such a deliberate act of destruction.

"With more than half of the bronze sculptures stolen and the remaining severely damaged, there is unfortunately no hope of repairing the piece and the centre will lose one of its most talked about and admired features."

The sculpture was one of two at the centre funded by an Arts 4 Everyone Express Lottery Award.

Developed over several months, it was commissioned to show the different interpretations of the relationships between people and place on the North York Moors.

The vandals struck sometime between Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday morning and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0845 6060 247.