'Vandalised' rhino statue repaired after broken-off ear found in nearby pub
A painted rhino sculpture which was seemingly vandalised less than 48 hours after going on display in a charity trail around South Devon has now been repaired.
The Great Big Rhino trail is raising money for important conservation work at Paignton Zoo - and families across the region have been spending the week visiting the life-size figures.
But a rhino positioned outside Exeter train station, called , had its ear broken off in an attack by suspected vandals.
The team behind the trail said it was shocking that anyone would want to vandalise the figure, after the artist spent so much time on the design.
Now, a "rhino repair squad" has stepped in to fix him.
The damaged rhino was brought back to the zoo, where the repair squad set to work using advanced cosmetic repair techniques.
Fortunately, the missing ear had been recovered in an Exeter pub, which made the repair an easier job.
The process involved using various sanding techniques, fillers and sealants to reattach the ear and bring the surface back up to its original standard.
From there, Fine Finisher Garner Chris recoated the repaired surface to match the pattern of its pre-damage artwork.
The firm behind it, Plastic Surgeon, is also planning on repairing a second damaged rhino - which will take around three of four hours.