Dad's Army statue in Thetford to be restored after vandalism

The glasses were squashed so a new pair will be recast

A statue of a much-love Dad's Army character is due to be restored, a year after it was vandalised.

Last March, the glasses of the bronze Captain Mainwaring statue which sits in Bridge Street in Thetford, Norfolk, were squashed.

The statue, based on the character played by Arthur Lowe, will receive its new pair later this month.

Stuart Wright, Mayor of Thetford, said a spare set had also been ordered, but he hoped they would never be needed.

The BBC sitcom, about the Home Guard during World War Two, was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and first ran between 1968 and 1977.

Mr Wright, who is also chairman of the Dad's Army Museum, said the new pair of glasses would be recast and ready for the summer season.

"We did have some Good Samaritan come along and bend them back into a reasonable shape... on closer inspection they are not perfect," he said.

"We are in the process of engaging with the foundry... to take them away, recast the new set and reaffix them for the summer season."

The museum has ordered a spare pair of replacement glasses, but Stuart Wright hopes they will not be needed

The statue was unveiled in June 2010 and was funded by Friends of Thetford Museum.

The museum has managed to raise more than £1,500 for the new glasses.

Mr Wright said: "We've asked [the foundry] to do a spare set but hopefully that won't be needed."

However, he said he was "disappointed in the response" to the vandalism from the police.

"I ended up having to go round the shops to see what CCTV there was," he said.

The BBC has contacted Norfolk Police for a comment.

The museum will reopen on Saturday, 16 March, for its summer season.