A man who was photographed balancing on top of an Oor Wullie Bucket Trail statue has said whoever broke it “should be ashamed”.
Ryan Wood, 32, was photographed vaulting over the Yarnbombed statue outside the Ardler Complex.
The statue was found badly damaged a few days later. Oor Wullie had been broken off from his bucket and was lying on the grass several yards from the statue’s base.
Mr Wood said he had been blamed for breaking the statue as a result – and claims he has even received death threats – but maintains he was not responsible for causing the damage.
He said he regretted his antics — and hadn’t noticed a sign asking people to stay off the artwork — but added: “I’m not the only person to climb on the statue – it was taking my weight fine. It takes skill to balance on it.
“But it wasn’t me who broke it. Whoever did that should be ashamed of themselves.
“I have a 10-year-old daughter and I have been taking her round them all.”
Donation
The Oor Wullie Bucket Trail is raising funds for The Archie Foundation and Mr Wood has said he has now made a donation to the charity.
Mr Wood said he has received a number of threats on Facebook since the pictures of him jumping over the statue emerged.
“I thought about shutting my Facebook down. It has affected me and my family, ” he said.
“The statue wasn’t broken until the week after. They must have used machinery or something because it was broken off at the bucket.
“I think what happened to it is shocking, whoever is responsible.”
He has now posted a picture of himself standing on the plinth where the statue stood outside the Ardler Complex showing a peace sign.
