A carefully crafted wood sculpture created to welcome people to a Swansea Valley village has been stolen.
Garry Turler, 38, is a chainsaw art and wood sculptor from Cwmtwrch. He created the piece over the last year in his own time to give something back to his community.
The wooden boar sculpture, with "Cwmtwrch" carved underneath, was stolen between midnight on Friday, November 8, and 8.30am on Saturday, November 9.
Mr Turler said: "(At the) beginning of the year, I carved a wild boar and sign for the village where I was born and bred.
"Didn’t get paid for it, didn’t get asked and only one or two knew of my plans.
"This was just something I wanted to do for the place that’s been home to me since the day I was born and my family for many, many years."
Mr Turler was planning to visit the sculpture in the next few weeks to maintain it by giving it some fresh coats of oil.
He said he was "saddened" on Saturday morning to wake up to a phone call with the news it had been stolen overnight.
He recalled seeing it at around midnight on Friday/Saturday while driving past with his wife.
"It hasn’t been cut, it’s been broken off, which must have taken a fair bit of force," he added.
"I’d like it returned and, if it’s possible, mended and refitted in its rightful place. Hopefully someone knows something or if it’s spotted it’ll be recognised.
"It was my work that was vandalised but it wasn’t stolen from me, it was from a whole community."
Mr Turler thanked people in the community for their support and said: "A good friend of mine, Carl, at Calon Y Coed , made the very generous offer of a £300 cash reward for the name or names of whoever took it.
"Since then, four others have offered to put even more towards this. Another £300, £200, £50 and £50. So that’s £900 altogether, from some very generous people, if the ones responsible are found."
What happens after a crime is reported?
A spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police said: "Dyfed-Powys Police is investigating criminal damage and the theft of a wooden carved boar, which has been broken off a carved log.
"This was reported to police on Sunday, November 11, but is believed to have happened sometime between midnight on November 8 and 8.30am on November 9.
"Anyone with information that could help officers with their investigation is asked to report it to Dyfed-Powys Police, either online at: http://bit.ly/DPPReportOnline , by email at: contactcentre@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk , or by calling 101.
"If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired, text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Quote reference: DPP/0034/10/11/2019/01/C."
