THE death of a willow man figure at the hands of vandals has upset young school pupils.

The six-foot life-size figure made of living willow was planted in the grounds of Manor Field Junior School.

Children from the school in Haydn Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, created it with local artist Flora Gare last June, and since then the whole school has watered it and kept it trim.

But the sculpture was dug up and stolen from their playing field. About a week later it was found dumped over the school fence, but its arms had been ripped off and it was dead because it had not been watered.

When it first went missing, pupils wrote hundreds of letters to The Gazette asking for whoever stole it to own up. They also made ‘wanted’ posters appealing for help.

Headteacher Jan Cushing said: “It’s just so unnecessary. The children were shocked and have been talking about what sort of person would do that. The pupils who made him were very upset.”

Callum Hill, 10, said in his letter: “The school is devastated. Why would anyone want to steal a willow man who will now be dead? We would like the person responsible to own up now.”

Ryan Vine, eight, said: “I am extremely confused and concerned why someone or people would do something like this.”

Ms Gare, who lives in Oakley, said she might be able to help the children re-build the figure because the wire frame was not too badly damaged.

She added: “I’m disappointed but I’m not surprised.

“I do quite a lot of projects in schools and some say they can’t put anything in the grounds because it might get stolen.”

Pupils are now hoping to re-plant the sculpture, but Mrs Cushing said she was concerned vandals would simply destroy it again.