Austrian artist claims responsibility for beheading statue

Police who believed vandals responsible for beheading a statue in the town square of Neusiedl am See in Austria have received a surprise revelation, after a sculptor came forward to take the blame.

The police investigation came to an abrupt end on Wednesday when the artist contacted authorities to explain he had removed the head in order to perform repairs, AP reports.

The sculptor admitted to removing the head from the Saint Rosalia statue – believed to be part of a holy trinity group attached to “Plague Column” – at the request of a local official, who thought it was weathered and needed restoring.

But other officials and the townsfolk were not informed, and a resident quickly went to police to report the “crime”.

Police have subsequently released a statement signalling their investigation had drawn to a close.

"The mystery is solved,” it read.