Ian Clarke A 10-year-old boy has been reprimanded after being caught on CCTV vandalising the recently unveiled Dad's Army statue in Thetford.The boy was seen to repeatedly kick the statue of Captain Mainwaring, breaking off his glasses and throwing them into the nearby river.

Ian Clarke

A 10-year-old boy has been reprimanded after being caught on CCTV vandalising the recently unveiled Dad's Army statue in Thetford.

The boy was seen to repeatedly kick the statue of Captain Mainwaring, breaking off his glasses and throwing them into the nearby river.

He was identified by police after being caught on the town's new CCTV system run by Breckland Council. The incident occurred on July 4.

PC Keith Kenny, of Thetford Safer Neighbourhood Team, who dealt with the case, said: “The boy spent nearly 10 minutes kicking the statue of Captain Mainwaring. The statue forms an important part of Thetford's history, which the community is rightly proud of. Wanton damage such as this will not be tolerated. The work of the CCTV operators was instrumental in helping us identify the youth responsible.”

Many of the most memorable scenes of Dad's Army were shot on location in and around Thetford and the statue was unveiled last month as a permanent reminder of its links to the town.

Adrian Stasiak, executive member for communities at Breckland Council, said: “Cameras in the town centre and other areas of Thetford have been invaluable in detecting and deterring offenders. We are extremely proud of this new system. It is there to protect our community, our public spaces, our businesses and our homes.”

To contact Thetford SNT call 0845 456 4567 or e-mail sntthetford@norfolk.pnn.police.uk.