A POLICE car hit a statue commemorating Worcester's famed male impersonator Vesta Tilley.

The sculpture, in Cornmarket, was damaged at about midnight on Saturday, November 11.

Inspector Tanya Beckett from Worcester Safer Neighbourhood Team said: "At around midnight on Saturday, November 11, a marked patrol car was responding to an incident in Cornmarket, Worcester when it was in a collision with a statue.

"No other vehicles were involved in the collision and there were no reported injuries."

Born in Worcester in 1864, Tilley, who became one of the most famous male impersonators of her era, had a career lasting more than three decades as she became a star in both Britain and the United States.

She died in London, aged 88, on September 16, 1952.

The statue was installed in September last year and marked the final stages of a £500,000 county council revamp of the city's historic Cornmarket.

Members of the public voted for her statue, along with several others, from a list of famous faces from Worcester's past.

The statue features a bronze cast, three dimensional figure with a strong connection the city of Worcester.

The plinth on which the figure sits includes panels which reference the lives of each character portrayed. The plinth is made from mild steel and cast metals, which are highly resistant to damage and vandalism.

Worcestershire County Councillor Alan Amos, cabinet member with responsibility for highways, said: "We can confirm that a vehicle struck a statue in the Cornmarket.

"The City Council are currently examining CCTV, the statue has been taken away to assess the damage and will be reinstalled as soon as any necessary repairs have been carried out."