THIEVES who used a saw to steal wooden sculptures from a park have been desribed as ‘selfish scumbags’.

Mike Lee, Tory leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said he ‘dispaired’ that someone had stolen and destroyed the much loved art work from Witton Park.

On two separate occasions in the last three weeks, the four wooden sculptures created by stonemason and wood carver Martyn Bednarczuk close to the adventure playground in the Preston Old Road park, have been targeted.

In the first instance a tree trunk carving was completely sawn down And this week, thieves returned again and tried to remove an owl sculpture, also carved from a tree trunk. They were unsuccessful due to the sheer size of the carving but badly damaged the piece.

Park bosses now believe the carving may be sat in someone’s garden after being sold on.

Coun Lee said: “I just despair. It really frustrates me that some people can see something nice, that has taken lots of hard work and is meant to be enjoyed by the whole community and think I’m having that.

“These thieves are total scumbags who have probably never put any work in to improve anything ever.

“I just hope they get caught.”

Park users said they were ‘appalled’ that people found it so easy to deface something so nice. One said it was ‘a sad sign of the times’.

Wood carver and creator Mr Bednarczuk, from Oswaldtwistle, said: “It is such a shame these pieces have been damaged.

“I spent two weeks creating these sculptures.

“I’m not surprised people are annoyed. It was gift to the community.”

Police are now set to launch an investigation into the latest incident.

Blackburn with Darwen’s executive member for Culture, Leisure and Young People, Coun Damian Talbot branded the crime as ‘senseless’.

He said: "It's a great shame that some people would do something so selfish and attempt to ruin something which was there for residents and users of the park to enjoy.