A Church community is in despair after its Madonna statue was beheaded just over a year after it was replaced due to vandalism.

The Madonna and child statue at All Saints Church is one of nine statues which have been vandalised in Fulham’s cemeteries in a senseless spree, including on the eve of Remembrance Sunday.

For All Saints, the shocking beheading comes just over two years after the original bronze statue was stolen from the churchyard in August 2012.

The Reverend Canon Joe Hawes said he was physically shocked by the theft in 2012 and said it was probably sold as scrap metal so they asked the statue’s creator, sculptor Helen Sinclair to make it in resin to put off scrap metal thieves.

They thought they had managed to deter vandals with the worthless resin statue unveiled in April last year so the beheading on Sunday (November 9) has really struck hard throughout the church’s community.

Tina Ellis, parish manager, said: “We were talking about getting CCTV just the day before it happened. Nobody can believe somebody could just take the head off the Madonna statue.

“We thought by replacing it last time in resin we’d put off metal thieves but this is just wanton vandalism. They didn’t even leave the head. Now we’re going to have to replace the entire statue because it will cost just as much to get a new head made.

"I think we'll most definitely get CCTV now."

She praised the police who she said have had a much higher presence than normal following the first beheadings on the night of October 27 when five Wedgewood statues in the Pryors Bank area of Bishops Park were vandalised, with two being decapitated.

The resin Madonna statue was lopped off at the neck and the head taken

Then on Sunday night (November 9), a statue in the middle of the pond area in Bishops Park had its head removed and on Monday night (November 10) an angel in Margravine Cemetery was beheaded, as was one in Fulham Cemetery and the Madonna statue’s head was taken off in All Saints Church’s cemetery.

Councillor Charlie Dewhirst, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Hammersmith, said: “This is an act of appalling vandalism and I would urge anyone who has any information to contact the police immediately.”

After looking at CCTV footage of Margravine Cemetery at about 9.30pm on November 10, police believe it is a lone male who has been attacking the statues and are asking people to keep a look out for vandals or anybody climbing in or out of a park when it is closed, and to call 999 immediately.

No statues were vandalised last night and late police patrols will carry on in the hope of catching the offender.

If you have any information contact the parks police on 0300 3655 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.