A SUPERLAMBANANA on display at Birkenhead Market has been repaired after it was scratched by vandals.

Cloudarama was brought for £10,000 at an auction in St George’s Hall in Liverpool in September.

The two-foot long scratch, thought to have been caused by vandals using a key, was retouched on Thursday by St Helens-based artist Paul Cousins.

He said: “Its creation has been a labour of love for me and I really feel attached to it. To me, it’s a painting and a very personal piece.

“Other Lambananas were community projects with lots of people involved. But this is very much an extension of my work as an artist and a piece of public art.”

Clouderama was one of 125 similar statues that went under the auctioneer’s hammer.

The market was in a telephone bidding war with Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which was also keen to own the treasured piece of Capital of Culture memorabilia.

Danny Doyle, marketing manager for Birkenhead Market, said: “It’s here to be enjoyed and is proving to be very popular with the public.

“Paul was pleased when he saw that it is being exhibited in a public place. We could have easily put it behind perspex or ten foot in the air, but what’s the point of that?"