Bears of Sheffield: 'Anti-vax' stickers stuck on sculptures

The Sheffield Allsorts bear outside Sheffield Town Hall was among several targeted, according to The Children's Hospital Charity

Colourful bear statues along a charity art trail were defaced with stickers directing people to an anti-vaccination website, a charity has said.

The sculptures are being displayed around Sheffield before they are sold off in aid of its children's hospital.

Organisers said the labels, printed with a QR code leading to the page, had been removed by volunteers.

Artist Pete McKee, who designed one of the bears, branded the vandalism "disgraceful".

Cheryl Davidson, from the Children's Hospital charity, said: "Unfortunately, earlier this week we received reports on social media that several of our bears in the city centre had QR codes placed on them which, when scanned, directed users to an anti-vaccination website.

"Our volunteers removed the stickers as quickly as they could and these are not in any way representative of the views of The Children's Hospital Charity or any of our partners involved in the Bears of Sheffield.

Ms Davidson added that she wanted to thank everyone who reported the stickers and encouraged anyone who noticed any other vandalism to the sculptures to contact the charity.

Statues on the trail, which boasts 60 large and 100 smaller bears have been designed by artists including McKee, Jo Peel and Morag Myerscough.

Others have been decorated by members of the community.

Later this year, the artworks will be auctioned off to raise money for a new cancer and leukaemia ward at the children's hospital.