Police investigating criminal damage in Chester Grosvenor Park after RNLI sculptures vandalised

Willow sculptures installed in Grosvenor Park to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were vandalised on Saturday 25 May.

The Grosvenor Park sculptures attract many visitors as they celebrate an annual theme.

This year’s theme created by local artist Sarah Gallagher-Heyes (Twigtwisters), was chosen due to the RNLI’s charitable links to the River Dee next to the park.

The damaged sculpture was of a rescue boat crashing through the waves, on one of its lifesaving missions.

Cheshire West and Chester Council said summer bedding plants are currently being grown in the nursery, to be planted in late June.

“Blue and white flowers will mimic the colours of crashing waves, while oranges and yellows depict the bright colours of the RNLI lifeboats.”

The RNLI is set to visit Grosvenor Park in July for an open day where they will share information on the celebrations and history of the charity

A council spokesperson said: “Witnesses to the damage described a young male was pulling at the sculpture and encouraging other young people to help him to tip it over.”

“He was then seen climbing on the display and the surrounding flower beds.”

Cheshire Police and Cheshire West and Chester Council said they are “looking to identify the person responsible for the damage and Cheshire Police have deployed mobile CCTV in the park to monitor for any further criminal damage or anti-social behaviour.”

“The Council are exploring funding opportunities to repair the sculptures.”

“Witnesses describe the person responsible as a young adult male, approximately 15-16 years of age, wearing a blue sports t shirt and black sports trousers, with a black tracksuit top around his waist with black slick backed hair.”