Three Waddle of Worcester penguins back on the trail
They were vandalised last month and had to be removed for repairs
Three sculptures which were vandalised and removed from the great Waddle of Worcester art trail will be repaired in time for the final week of the event.
Starlit Journey, Percy and Kingfisher Azure were forcibly removed from their plinths in the early hours of Tuesday 20 August and badly damaged.
Kingfisher Azure needed to be recovered from the River Severn on Wednesday 21 August.
Trail organisers, St Richard’s Hospice, have been racing against time to restore all three penguins before the trail ends on Sunday 15 September.
All three sculptures needed fibreglass repair, repainting and re-varnishing with drying time in between.
Sara Matthews, Business Development Manager for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “We’re very happy to say that our trio of poorly penguins will return from ‘ice-olation’ this weekend.
“In the spirit of making them available as speedily as possible - and protecting their very fresh coats of paint and varnish - all three will be found in our pop-up penguin shop at 14 Chapel Walk, Crowngate Shopping Centre, from Saturday 7 September until the end of the trail on Sunday 15 September. Our shop is open from 10am to 4pm daily.
“All three will also stand shoulder to shoulder with their flippered friends at farewell events taking place during the first two weekends in October at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.
“A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the repair fundraiser set up by our friends at Worcestershire Ambassadors, which has raised a brrr-illiant £2,300. Thanks also to the lovely people at Sanctuary who are covering the cost of repairs to their penguin Starlit Journey.
"The generosity of all parties involved in repairing and restoring the sculptures means that repair costs will be covered in full. We cannot thank our community enough for huddling around us in our time of need.”
All 80 penguins will remain on display in Worcester until Sunday 15 September.
After this, there will be the chance to say a final ‘goodbye’ at farewell events at Worcestershire County Cricket Club during the first two weekends in October.