A STATUE in Wantage has been spotted wearing a traffic cone that some people have dubbed a ‘party hat’.

The King Alfred statue has stood in Market Place for almost 150 years after being commissioned by Col Robert Loyd-Lindsay to mark the 1,000th anniversary of King Alfred the Great, who was born in the town.

It was sculpted by Count Gleichen, a relative of Queen Victoria, and unveiled on July 14, 1877, by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the future Edward VII and his wife.

Herald Series: Picture by Jay Masters-ReadPicture by Jay Masters-Read (Image: Jay Masters-Read)

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People spotted on Saturday (26) that a bright orange traffic cone had been placed on top of the statue at an angle.

Though some have dubbed the ‘hat’ as funny, others have labelled the incident as ‘disrespectful’.

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This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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