MINDLESS vandals chopped off the hands and stole the nuts from a squirrel statue.

Bosses at the Essex Wildlife Trust Langdon Reserve are furious at the damage to the 3ft high statue nicknamed Squirrel Nutkin.

Josh Childs, reserve ranger at the Third Avenue site in Basildon, said: “We walk around and check the characters as regularly as we can.

“We noticed that someone had vandalised the squirrel by removing his hands and the nuts.

“We tried to find the hands and nuts so we can fix the statue but we couldn’t find them.

“We don’t know who did this or when it happened.

“The squirrel stands at about three-foot and cost about £2,500 to install.

“We work to keep the site safe and tidy and them someone comes along and does something like this - it is a bit of a kick in the teeth.

“It does make us angry because we work so hard here.

“We are a charity so this sort of thing does hit us pretty hard.

“It’s caused quite a bit of anger and upset with our visitors and families.”

One angry mum, Laura Banks, 30, of High Road, Laindon said: “We love going to the reserve to see all the wooden characters.

“This just spoils it for us and other families and visitors.

“I just don’t understand what is wrong with people these days.

“There is no need for this at all.”

Anyone with any information about those responsible is asked to report it to the centre or call on 01268 419103.