Children given crayons before 230-year-old statue at Croome scrawled on

The statue of the Roman Naiade, Sabrina, has been cleaned, the National Trust said

Crayons were given to children at a museum before a historic statue was scribbled on, the National Trust said.

Bright blue crayon markings were scrawled across the face, arms and torso of the 230-year-old Sabrina statue at Croome, Worcester.

A memorial to landscape architect Capability Brown was also defaced on 8 April, the trust added.

Crayons were included in activity packs given to families over Easter at Croome, they said.

"The trail had been running for seven days and hundreds of families had completed the trail without incident," a spokesperson said.

The scribbling is believed to have happened during opening hours on 8 April

The markings have been removed from the statue but efforts have continued to clean the memorial.

Moulded from Coade stone, the sculpture is thought to have been made in 1802 and depicts the Roman Naiade, Sabrina, in a grotto which was originally decorated with shells, coral and gems.

Work is still in progress to remove the crayon marks from the Lancelot 'Capability' Brown memorial

Lancelot 'Capability' Brown Memorial's work landscaping the grounds is thought to have been his first large commission.

"Disappointing as they are, incidents like this are very rare considering the millions of visitors who enjoy and respect the places in our care," the spokesperson added.