A Paddington Bear statue which was destroyed by vandals has been fully repaired and returned to its home town. The sculpture in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged last month when two Royal Air Force engineers broke it in half after a night out and made off with part of it.

CCTV footage played to the court showed the men approaching the Paddington Bear statue late at night before ripping the bear off its bench and walking away with it. District judge Sam Goozee condemned Heath and Lawrence’s actions, calling them “the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for”.

The newly installed statue in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged on March 2 when two Royal Air Force engineers broke it after a night out.