One of the Alan Thornhill bronze sculptures which forms part of the Putney Sculpture Trail has been stolen.

The stolen statue, entitled 'Horizontal Ambiguity', was pinched from a plinth next to the Duke's Head public house on Thursday night.

The pub is situated in the Lower Richmond Road near the Putney Embankment - a stone's throw from Putney Bridge.

In response, police and Wandsworth Council are urging residents to keep a close eye on the remaining statues that form the rest of the much-loved trail.

Putney councillor Jim Madden said: " I was very upset and annoyed when I heard of the theft. It is such a pity that the thieves can cause so much distress for so little reward.

"The actual value of the bronze is absolutely minimal when compared with the effort put into the sculpture by Alan Thornhill and the pleasure that it gave to thousands of people"

The figure had stood at this location for four years after being presented as a gift to the people of Putney by Mr Thornhill.

The 86-year-old wanted to leave a lasting legacy to the town he loved as he lived in the area for many years, and still has studios locally.

Anyone who spotted anything suspicious in the area on Thursday night is being urged to contact the police.

They are also being encouraged to be on their guard and to immediately call the police if they spot anyone tampering with any of the other statues that form the trail.

The trail features nine key pieces in prime riverside locations stretching from Leader’s Gardens in the west to Riverside Quarter in the east.