A WINGTIP protruding sadly from the water is all that can be seen of a bronze statue after metal thieves tried to steal it at the weekend.

Staff at Fourteen Locks Canal Centre in Rogerstone arrived at work on Sunday morning to find the 4ft high dragonfly sculpture, which stands in its pond, mostly submerged.

It is believed the vandals may have tried to hook a rope around the artwork and drag it out of the water, but failed because it is too heavy.

Tools including hacksaws and wire cutters were found on a nearby banking and have now been taken away by police for analysis.

The attempted theft is believed to have happened sometime overnight on Saturday, but was not captured on CCTV because the cameras do not overlook the pond.

Centre Manager Phil Hughes said it felt like one thing after another at the centre, which was partly gutted in an arson attack last year.

But he said members of the trust, which are responsible for running the centre, would not let it get them down.

He said: "It’s just so sad isn’t it? We are coming back after the fire and it’s been really great - the community has rallied around us again, then this happens. But what can you do? We will carry on, nothing will stop us."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 101.

Bronze sculpture reflected industrial heritage

The cast bronze sculpture was designed by Cheshire-based artists Joanne Risley and Barry Callaghan and was unveiled in June 2001.

Designed on a boating theme to reflect the industrial heritage of the Monmouthshire and Brecon waterway, the body of the Dragonfly is in the shape of a canal boat.