Market traders caused outrage yesterday when they dressed up a town centre monument with a baseball cap, handbag and a suitcase.
The statue of Joseph Pease, the treasurer of Darlington's original railway, has stood on the town's High Row for years.
An extended market in the town centre meant stalls were in place along High Row, and traders decided to promote their products on the statue.
While some shoppers were amused by the traders' antics, others were less impressed.
Mark Allatt, chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: "It's disgraceful what these people have done. Somebody who was clearly a very important person in the history of Darlington does not deserve this kind of disrespect."
The council and police were informed, and the traders were asked to remove the goods from the statue.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article