Children were seen kicking a Silhouette figure of a First World War soldier put up for Remembrance Day before hiding it away, a councillor has said.
The ‘Tommy’ has now been found after being moved from outside the Meriden Community Centre, Cllr Jennifer Pattinson said.
She said in a previous Facebook post on Wednesday that the Tommy had been stolen within 24 hours of it being put up.
In a later post, Cllr Pattinson, who represents the Meriden ward, said the silhouette figure was found slightly damaged although is fixable.
She said: “Some kids were seen kicking it outside the community centre and managed to kick it down. They had then hidden it away.
“It will be put back up somewhere it can be seen and we hope kids on the estate will have a bit more respect for these meaningful metal figures.”
Watford Borough Council confirmed the Tommy had been seen being kicked and said it was found nearby propped up.
Hertfordshire Constabulary has been approached for more details about the Tommy being kicked.
The Tommy – an informal term for a soldier in the British Army – was one of several put up in Watford ahead of Remembrance Day.
They are part of an art installation called ‘There But Not There’ run by military charity Remembered.
The campaign, which the council has been supporting since 2018, aims to respect those who died in the First World War, symbolising more than 1.1 million British and Empire service men and women who did not make it home.
Read more - ‘Tommy’s’ installed across Watford ahead of Remembrance Day - here's where
The sculpture depicts a Tommy who stands thoughtfully, head bowed, rifle in hand, as he reflects upon the sheer horror of World War I as peace is declared in 1918.
This year, there will also be an ‘Unknown Women in War’ statue at Gammons Lane, which is designed to help the nation commemorate and recognise the bravery and sacrifices of women in war.
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