Captain John Quilliam: 'Senseless vandalism' of statue condemned

Scratching and graffiti on the plinth was reported last month

Repeated acts of vandalism of a statue depicting the Isle of Man's most famous sea captain are "senseless", Manx National Heritage has said.

The body has appealed for information after the plinth holding the sculpture of Captain John Quilliam in Castletown was damaged.

A spokeswoman said the vandalism caused last month had been reported to police.

The bronze bust had recently been restored and returned to the site overlooking the town's harbour.

Manx sculptor Bryan Kneale designed the statue of the famous Manxman, who was First Lieutenant aboard the HMS Victory with Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The statue sits opposite the entrance to Castle Rushen

Kirsty Neate from Manx National Heritage said the repeated vandalism of the public sculpture was "particularly upsetting" as it came after extensive conservation work.

The body was assessing the damage to the plinth and how much it would cost to repair, she added.

"It does not send out a positive message to visitors to Castletown and our island to see such prominent heritage objects from the national collections vandalised in this way."

Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]