Villagers have been left devastated after a life-size display of the Queen and her corgies was destroyed less than a day after it was put up.

Ahead of the Jubilee weekend, ladies from Hartley Women's Institute set up the royal mannequin, complete with crown and robes, and cardboard pooches on Monday.

However, less than day later the monarch was destroyed by vandals, with her crown found more than a mile away in New Ash Green.

Crocheted red, white and blue bunting, which the group had been preparing since last year, which was hung around the Hartley village sign by the green, was also ruined.

Hartley WI committee member Kay Turner said: "It hadn't been there 24 hours. We put it up Monday at 9.30am. Two local ladies had worked really hard on the image of the Queen.

"I went just yesterday morning with a couple of friends, I said we'll walk past the green, and there she was, bald as a coot and tipped into a hedge.

"Someone said the wig was found in St John's Lane in Hartley, and the crown was found in the vicar's garden at New Ash Green."

"There she was, bald as a coot and tipped into a hedge..."

Kay confirmed the vicar was not being considered as a suspect, but said she had seen two youngsters near the green while the decorations were being installed.

"I can't accuse anybody," she added.

"But when we were putting up the bunting there were two lads, one on a bike and one on a scooter, who looked like they were asking what was going on.

"I saw them later on about 7.50pm outside the Catholic church, and then later outside the social club. I said to my friend 'I've got my doubts about what they're up to.'"

Strangely, the queen's three corgis had been left alone, and Kay said WI members were considering reinstating the display – possibly in a new location.

But she said the vandalism had still left members saddened.

"It's not nice," she added. "They had worked so hard on it. We're all devastated."

Villager Anne Senneck explained how disappointed she was vandals had "desecrated" the make-shift Queen Elizabeth.

She said: "Hartley Women's Institute have made a big effort to decorate Hartley Green to celebrate the event.

"Yards of bunting has been knitted to decorate the All Saints' Hall fence, the fence opposite the post office and around the green.

"A wonderful full size Queen Elizabeth was put together complete with robes and crown. There are even her favourite corgis accompanying her.

"This was only up for a day before mindless vandals desecrated our work.

"The crown was found in a garden at New Ash Green and the wig was found locally.

"Sadly the word respect has gone from the English and other languages..."

"How pathetic that this was spoiled and no doubt it was done for a laugh as the jargon goes.

"Sadly the word respect has gone from the English and other languages.

"One cannot keep blaming governments and schools for this. This stems from the home and I am sure if these saddos were ever caught they would be excused cos they are ‘lovely to their granny and light up every room’.

"Even if one is anti-royalist there is no need to wreck other people's enjoyment."