Paddington Bear has been beheaded by vandals outside the NSPCC headquarters.
The statue – which was designed by a 13-year-old girl called Maya – was due to be auctioned for charity.
But in an act of wanton vandalism, the Paddington has had its head chopped off.
The bear, which sat outside the NSPCC headquarters in London's Shoreditch, was one of 50 dotted around London as part of a 'Paddington Trail' designed to coincide with the release of the film in cinemas.
The trail runs until December 30, at which point each bear will be auctioned off in an attempt to raise around £500,000 for the NSPCC.
A spokesman for the charity said: "As we are in party season someone might well have thought it was a bit of fun to remove Paddington's head.
"However they should be aware that this figure and many others are being auctioned to raise money for our services which help children who have been abused.
"It was also designed by a young girl who was absolutely delighted when it was chosen to go on display and will undoubtedly be upset about what's happened.
"We are currently assessing the damage to see if the situation can be retrieved. But in the meantime if there is someone out there with a guilty conscience who wants to make a donation to the NSPCC they can find us at nspcc.org.uk ."
The statue has now been taken away for repairs.
Julie Chappell, Director of VisitLondon.com, said: "The Paddington Bear designed by Maya is now being repaired and we look forward to seeing it restored as soon as possible."
More on Parentdish: See the Paddington Bear trailer