THE owner of a stately home is offering a £3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of vandals who smashed a stone lion which has guarded the gates of the country house for more than 100 years.

It is thought thieves may have been trying to steal the sandstone sculpture from the plinth outside Norton Conyers Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.

However, when steel dowels proved impossible to shift, the culprits appear to have vented their frustration by smashing the statue instead.

"The lion is paired with an eagle and used to stand at the entrance of Nunnington Hall, near Helmsley, which used to be owned by another branch of the family," Sir James Graham said yesterday.

"It's been outside Norton Conyers Hall since around 1840 but, sadly these days, this sort of behaviour seems to be fairly common."

Anyone who may be able to help police track down the culprit can either contact detectives in Ripon by telephoning (01765) 602222 or contact Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.

The vandalism in North Yorkshire follows a similar incident near Barnard Castle, County Durham, earlier this month.

Three statues in the grounds of Lartington Hall were decapitated by intruders who also appeared to have tried to steal them but resorted to wanton damage when they were unable to carry them off.