Vandals have destroyed the latest Christmas treat from the anonymous Sheppey artist behind Moo Mop Mouse.

The mystery painter left a 'Believe' bell on one of the round concrete bollards in Sheerness town centre at the weekend only to see it destroyed within 40 minutes.

He said: "I was sitting within watching distance and saw it happen. I was waiting for it to dry properly. But I couldn't get to them quick enough to stop it from being broken."

He has since shared photographs on social media of the bell and a group of seven youths he believes were responsible.

The artist explained: "The children thought breaking it within 40mins was something fun to do. If anyone knows them, just let them know it took me around four to five hours and cost £30, plus my time, to create it.

"They have taken away any chance of others to enjoy it."

In a plaintive message to Islanders, he added: "I tried guys, sorry."

He added: "Sadly, the bell was pushed to the floor and smashed into pieces. I'd filled it with a rapid-drying concrete and was waiting for it to fully set. It lasted all of 40 minutes before it was stamped on.

"Within my family life, this has been an extremely worrying couple of months and time has been precious. But I still felt the need to give the public something, even if it was quite small.

"Although it was a group of teenagers, only two were really involved in breaking the bell. I've managed to contact a boy and also spoken to his dad who is very disappointed in his son.

"One of the girls, who wasn't involved, has since contacted me and was very apologetic and even offered to pay for the damage herself. But I haven't heard from the girl who stamped on it."

He said he would like to have sat down and chatted to the group to understand why they showed no respect.

"I fully appreciate a couple of them have apologised but I feel 'sorry' is said very easily. A lesson should be learned and a negative turned into a positive. I don't believe they are bad kids. We were all young once."

During two years of coronavirus lockdowns the artist has brightened up the Island with a string of cute paintings of little Moo Mop Mouse. During the summer he was even invited to do the same thing for the residents of Herne Bay.

Last year he presented Sheerness with a colourful Christmas "window" which is still on show attached to a wall in Rose Street.

The news of the latest vandalism was greeted with outrage on social media.

One of the few printable comments was from a woman wrote on Facebook: "How terrible! I have no words for some of these horrible kids. So selfish! No respect for others to enjoy this lovely piece."

The adventures of Moo Mop first began appearing along the seafront at Minster and Sheerness to cheer up the artist's wife who was working hard in the NHS and trying to battle the virus.

The little mouse was quickly taken to the community's heart and can now be seen in secret locations across the Island.