FRANK Sidebottom is still smiling down over his beloved home town - even though the statue erected in his memory suffered a minor act of vandalism.

Messenger was alerted to the incident by a Timperley resident who sent us an email and wishes to remain anonymous.

The monument to the much loved character, created by the late Chris Sievey, was paid for entirely by donations made by fans and it was unveiled in October.

In the email he said the statue had been defaced by some kind of transfer placed on the head.

He added: "I was a fan of Frank Sidebottom when i was growing up but didn't contribute to the fundraising campaign. I just find it silly and pointless that someone thought it was a good idea to add this sticker to the statue..irrespective of whether it may have caused any lasting damage."

The good news is the transfer hasn't caused any lasting damage and it has been removed.

Former Timperley councillor Neil Taylor was a key figure in the campaign to build a memorial to Sidebottom, whose innocent humour appealed to all ages.

Neil said the incident was a 'disappointment' but he was relieved the statue hadn't suffered any permanent damage.

He said it has become something of a visitor attraction in the town.

“One thing about the Frank Sidebottom Statue is seeing so many people interacting with it and taking photos and getting enjoyment out of the landmark.

This was a disappointment , but the main thing is Frank is still smiling with a thumbs up. One family member on Facebook described it as disrespectful."

Frank Sidebottom creator Sievey died of cancer in 2010 at the age of 54 and the character, with his trademark papier mache head, inspired a critically-acclaimed movie this year, with Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender in the title role.