Vandalised fox statue replaced in village park

A new fox sculpture has taken pride of place in a village in Leicestershire after the original was vandalised beyond repair.

Blar the fox – a nod to the history and origins of the village of Blaby - was removed from Bouskell Park in spring 2025 after the vandalism, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Painted a mix of white, icy blue and purple, the sculpture, located next to the park's ice house, was initially part of the Fosse Foxes tourism trail launched in April 2021.

The new fox is the old Fosse Fox from the closed Hilton Leicester hotel. It was given to Blaby District Council, repainted and installed in the park.

A spokesperson from Blaby District Council said: "Last April, the Bouskell Park fox was vandalised and damaged so badly it was beyond repair.

"At that point the council began investigating how best to move forward and whether the fox could be replaced.

"A number of options were being explored, then in December 2025, it became apparent the Hilton fox would be available on the closure of the hotel.

"It was decided to repurpose the Hilton fox, which meant simply repainting the logo.

"With the fox ready, it was felt the most appropriate time to reinstall it would be to coincide with our Ice House Tours children's trail and dedicated school visits.

"Part of the children's trail links to the fox so we wanted to ensure the schoolchildren had the best experience."

The authority said it was installed on 8 September.

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