Kingston Market Place’s historical Shrubsole Memorial is not quite the statue it used to be.

Council officers have removed an arm from the Victorian fountain sculpture, after cracks appeared in the marble.

Although it is not known what caused the damage, Kingston Council insists it was not the fault of contractors working on the recent £3m revamp of the Ancient Market Place.

A Kingston Council spokesman said: “Cracks in the statue were spotted and the damaged arm was removed to prevent it falling off.

“We are looking into what caused the damage but we are clear that it was not done by any council contractors.”

He added the arm would need to be recast by experts rather than the broken piece attached because of its poor condition.

The repairs will cost about £6,000.

The Shrubsole Memorial was put up in 1882 by Francis John Williamson, reputed to be Queen Victoria’s favourite sculptor, in memory of former Kingston three-time mayor Henry Shrubsole, who died in office.

Kingston tour guide Julian McCarthy said: “Our water carrier no longer carries water, how soon will it be before someone suggests that the urn is ‘dangerous’ at which point the statue may be taken down and we shall have simply a plinth and a part of Kingston’s heritage will have been lost?”

Kingston Society chairman Jennifer Butterworth said: “It’s important to get her arm back. She is not the Venus Di Milo, she needs her arm.

"It would be a great shame for it not to be repaired and the job done properly.”