A 230-year-old statue depicting a Roman goddess has been scribbled over with blue crayons, with the culprits believed it to be of a group of children.
The statute of historical significance, sculpted by John Bacon, is located in the gardens of Croome Court, in south Worcestershire. The sculpture, which depicts Roman Naiade, Sabrina, is situated around a mid-18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion with some extensive parkland, reports the Mirror.
Activities packs distributed over the Easter period contain blue crayons which are believed to have been involved, with a memorial to famous landscape architect Lancelot 'Capability' Brown also defaced earlier this month.
In a statement shared by the Museums Association, a National Trust spokesperson said: "We were dismayed that this happened and the team at Croome was understandably upset at the discovery.
"The incident has required the time and consultation of conservators as well as of the garden and outdoor manager who cleaned the statue and memorial.
"Fortunately, the property was able to remove the crayon from the statue without the help of external cleaners or expensive specialist materials."
A trial is to be conducted to find out the best way to restore restoring the commemoration of Capability Brown, with efforts ongoing while the clean-up of the statute of the Roman Naiade, Sabrina was completed without complication.
A spokesperson told BBC News: "The trail had been running for seven days and hundreds of families had completed the trail without incident.
"Disappointing as they are, incidents like this are very rare considering the millions of visitors who enjoy and respect the places in our care."
The statue was designed back in the 1700s that is placed in a grotto that was once surrounded by shells, coral, and gemstones.
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