AFTER the success of the Coleraine Christmas Festival last Friday night, the evening took a dark turn when two of the 14 animal statues that line the main street were vandalised.

The community has been left devastated that the statues, that have been so popular with visitors, were so heartlessly vandalised, with one kangaroo beheaded and the other completely smashed to pieces.

Coleraine and District Development Association (CDDA) secretary, Fran Malone said it had been a joy to see families having a picnic and enjoying having a photo taken with the statues or dressing them up with footy scarves or Christmas tinsel.

“Local families and visiting tourists have been having so much fun with the statues, they’ve become a real attraction for people visiting Coleraine, but seeing them vandalised like this, has been really heart breaking.”

The installation of the statues was a project undertaken by the CDDA who raised $21,000 to purchase the fibreglass uracast figurines.

Sponsorship was received from Bendigo Bank, the Southern Grampians Shire and CDDA, as well as generous donations from several local Coleraine businesses towards the cost of installing the statues along Whyte Street.

This has come on the back of the theft of three chooks and a crocodile statue a month ago, donated by local business owner, Geoff Vickery.

“The statues are insured, but that’s not the point, it’s just a low thing to do to our community,” Ms Malone said.

A post on Coleraine Western Victoria’s Facebook page states that the culprits have been caught on CCTV footage, who were allegedly sparring with the kangaroos before destroying them.

If anyone has further information regarding the vandalism, please report to Police as part of their ongoing investigation.