A village's set of nostalgic model animals have been destroyed in what has been described as an act of ‘mindless vandalism’.

Parish councillors say they are at their wits’ end after full-size fibreglass ornaments of pigs and sheep have been destroyed once again by vandals in North Bradley, near Trowbridge.

Parish councillor Alf Moreton said: “The council are really upset about it and realise there’s not a lot we can do about it until we catch the culprits.

“It was a special thing that we did and they have been there for a few years now. It seems a shame that they have gone this way.

“It feels terrible. I’m bitterly disappointed at what can only be described as absolute mindless vandalism.”

The statues commemorate the days when the the pound on the village common was used for holding farm animals that had escaped or strayed in the village.

They would be kept in the pound until the owner came along to collect them.

The pound fell into disuse until 2000, when the parish council opted to renovate it and put in a plaque as a Millennium project.

In 2006 the council bought four fibre-glass farm animals and put them to ‘graze’ there, to depict the pound’s former purpose.

Cllr Moreton said: “We are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea because if we give up vandalism is winning, but if we put them back in we are costing the council money.”

In the last two years vandals have repeatedly removed the models, which were all bought for £150, and placed them in neighbouring gardens, smashed off parts of their ears or broken them completely. One of the sheep was also severely damaged in September 2007 when it was left with a gaping hole in its side. A villager mended it for free.

Parish clerk Anne Bass said: “They are ruined now. There is nothing we can do with them. They’ve been smashed to smithereens. There’s only one left in there now and that’s a black sheep.”

The parish council will be discussing what the future holds for the fibreglass animals on April 6.

Anyone with information about the vandalism can contact North Bradley Parish Council or the police on 0845 4087000.