Much-loved Humpty Dumpty has a great fall, but community hub will mend him together again

The statue has been made safe until it can be removed from the site. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga's beloved Humpty Dumpty statue will stay on the wall, with the Incubator Creative Hub offering to take on the restoration project.

Incubator Creative Hub director Simone Anderson said that as soon as they saw poor Humpty's rotten dilemma, they knew they could hatch a plan to put him back together again.

"The Incubator Creative Hub has never had a challenge like this before. Given there's a good connection between eggs and incubators, we immediately knew we were up for the important responsibility to fix Humpty", Anderson said.

Incubator Creative Hub director Simone Anderson. Photo / NZME

Tauranga City Council director of spaces and places Paul Dunphy was thrilled to see the support that the community sent Humpty's way over the course of the day.

"We're so happy that our Incubator whānau will be helping return Humpty to the community".

Restoration will take place in the new year. Until then, the statue will remain on site, with safety netting in place, as it's too tricky to move it without risking further damage.

The council appealed for help from creative experts earlier today after revealing the Humpty statue had been vandalised earlier this week.

Community services manager Gareth Wallis said there had been serious damage.

"It looks like someone has taken a sledgehammer to it. Most of Humpty's right arm has been reduced to dust, and his head is badly chipped in places as well."

The statue has delighted children at the park's playground since 1959.

"It's very disappointing, as all vandalism is. I remember Humpty from when I was a kid myself. We're not sure it can be repaired, but we'd like to try," Wallis said.

The statue has been made safe until it can be removed from the site.