King Alfred statue in Wantage Market Place has its axe restored (From The Oxford Times)

King Alfred statue in Wantage Market Place has its axe restored

3:15pm Wednesday 17th June 2009 in

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WANTAGE’S iconic King Alfred statue has been given its axe back after it was broken by vandals.

The statue, which has stood in Market Place for 130 years, was vandalised last Christmas Eve, and the axe left in pieces at the base of the statue.

Mayor Patrick O’Leary condemned the attack as an assault on the town and appealed for information.

Thames Valley Police released CCTV footage of the incident, but were unable to find those responsible.

Now, almost six months after the incident, the statue has been fixed at a cost of £2,450, paid for by the town council’s insurers.

Mr O’Leary said: “The Market Place is a much happier place now. And it’s great that the statue has its axe back.

“It is much more secure this time. The stainless steel rods go down the centre of the axe and into the base to give it extra strength.”

It was the second attack in a year on the statue, which was commissioned by Col Robert Loyd-Lindsay to mark the 1,000th anniversary of King Alfred the Great, who was born in the historic market town.

It was sculpted by Count Gleichen, a relative of Queen Victoria, and unveiled on July 14, 1877, by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the future Edward VII and his wife.