The sculpture of a Black Lives Matter protester which replaced the statue of slave trader Edward Colston has been removed.

Pictures from the scene appeared to show workers at the site at around 5.20am on Thursday.

Bristol City Council said it was removed at their request, adding: “It will be held at our museum for the artist to collect or donate to our collection.”

The statue, by artist Marc Quinn, was put up in the early hours of Wednesday.

Quinn’s lifesize black resin and steel piece of Jen Reid was inspired after seeing a photo of her standing on the empty plinth following the toppling of the Colston statue.

The sculpture, entitled A Surge of Power (Jen Reid), was installed without the knowledge or consent of Bristol City Council.

On Wednesday, Bristol mayor Marvin Rees tweeted: “I understand people want expression, but the statue has been put up without permission.

“Anything put on the plinth outside of the process we’ve put in place will have to be removed.”