The prop gravestone of Charles Dickens’ character Ebenezer Scrooge, which featured in the 1984 film A Christmas Carol, has been destroyed.

Once filming was completed, the inscribed stone used as Ebenezer Scrooge’s grave remained in the grounds of St Chad’s Church in Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, and has since become a popular tourist attraction.

West Mercia Police said the headstone was vandalised “within the last three days”, with pictures showing it smashed into at least two pieces and overturned.

The film, which was largely filmed on location in Shrewsbury, starred George C Scott as Scrooge.

The grave features in the movie when the ghost of Christmas Future takes the miserly main character to a cemetery, where, upon wiping away snow, he sees his own name on the stone and vows to change his ways.

In a statement, Pc Jono Lightfoot said: “If you were in the area between Thursday November 21 and yesterday (Sunday November 24), and witnessed any unusual behaviour, please get in touch as it may help with our inquiries.”

Email jono.lightfoot@westmercia.police.uk quoting incident number 288i of November 24, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.