A PRACTICAL joker put up notices claiming the Charles Rolls statue outside Monmouth's Shire Hall would be replaced by pornographic art.

A fake planning application was pinned to the hall's notice board, stating the proposal for the removal of the stature was part of the cultural improvement of the Agincourt Square area.

That application was taken down by council officials - but later the joker replaced it with another notice calling residents to oppose plans for a pornographic statue. The flyer urged people to save their heritage and join a protest on the following Friday.

It warned: "Permission has been granted to tear down the historic statue in Agincourt Square of Charles Rolls, the founder of the great institution and proud son of Monmouth.

"The monument proposed to replace (the statue) is a modern celebration of pornography, to supposedly move Monmouth into the 21st century through alleged 'art'."

A spokeswoman for the Haberdashers' Schools - claimed in the flyer to be supporting the protest - said they had no connection with the protest or application, but could see the funny side of the joke.

And Monmouth's mayor Councillor Sue White said: "At first we were alarmed by the notice, but as soon as we realised it had been a hoax we were able to reassure local people that Charles Rolls was not about to removed."

But she added: "This sort of situation is unnecessary and has upset many people in the town."