Vandalised Worthing pier cutout washes up on Hampshire beach
The cutout was found looking ‘a little worse for wear’ by Claire Parfett on the beach at Barton on Sea, who posted a photo of her find on Facebook.
It was then spotted by a Worthing resident, who identified it as the cutout created by Creative Waves Community Arts, a not-for-profit art organisation.
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Hide AdNadia Chalk, a professional artist who co-founded the art organisation alongside Vanessa Breen, said she was ‘very surprised’ that it had turned up after a three month sea journey.
“The positive powers of Facebook can be brilliant,” she said.
The cutout was originally commissioned for a giant tea party to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
It was displayed at the Visit Worthing shop for a short while before being moved to the Pier, where it was ‘well loved and used by local residents and visitors’, according to Nadia.
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Hide Ad“It made people laugh and it was a free attraction,” she said.
Designed to be mobile with locking wheels, it was intended to be used at community events and weddings.
On the evening of Tuesday, November 17, the cutout was reportedly thrown over the pier railings and into the sea.
Police were called at around 1.30pm on Friday, November 18, to reports that two people had been seen throwing items from Worthing Pier into the sea the previous evening at around 7pm, a spokesperson confirmed,
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Hide AdThe suspects, one of whom has been described as wearing a NY Yankees back pack, were disturbed by a member of staff and ran off, police said.
Nadia said: “The response from the original post about the vandalism of the seaside cutout was huge, so it’s great to see that there is an end to the story.”
Creative Waves are now in the process of designing a more secure seaside cutout for the pier, which Nadia said will be ‘bigger and better.’
They are looking for local businesses to sponsor the new project, with the option of having their logos featured on the artwork.
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Hide AdWorthing Borough Council is also supporting the new cutout.
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