THE specially commissioned work of a Cumbrian artist has been vandalised.

The installation by Annabel Lewis was part of visual arts organisation C-Art’s well-established annual Tourism Event of the Year.

“It’s a shame that instead of raising any objections to either the art or it being placed in a publicly accessible environment that this person – or people – have chosen to be destructive and destroy artwork that has been made with great care,” said Adrian Lochhead, director of Eden Arts which coordinates C-Art.

The artwork – a series of embellished sheep skulls placed along the shoreline of Derwent Water at Ings Wood – was allegedly stolen and smashed.

Signage and banners have also been allegedly stolen on two occasions at the site – the second time having been firmly repositioned with screws and bolts.

A number of banners missing included those from Dalemain House, near Penrith.

The installation is part of a new programming stream for C-Art called C-Art in Extraordinary Places, taking art out of the gallery and into the landscape.

“The whole point of us placing art in extraordinary places is to enhance it for the visitors, so it is baffling that this action has taken place without any kind of explanation,” added Mr Lochead.

The attack has been reported to the police the remains of the installation have been moved and can still be seen at the National Trust Bark Barn, at Ashness Bridge.