Edinburgh Grand's 9ft-high Christmas toy soldier has leg fixed after being smashed by vandals

A giant toy soldier which stands outside an Edinburgh hotel at Christmas time has been fixed after vandals cracked its leg.

Staff at the Edinburgh Grand in St Andrew Square were left saddened when one of the two soldiers - which stand either side of the entrance - had been damaged on November 22nd.

The statues, which stand roughly nine feet tall, have been popular with families and children wanting to have their pictures taken with the traditionally dressed guards, making the vandalism all the more unsavoury.

It is thought the mindless vandals tried to steal the guards overnight before realising they were bolted to the ground. Police were also informed.

The toy soldier needed some surgery.

But the soldier has since been sent to a local repair centre to be fixed.

Gavin MacLennan, general manager of The Edinburgh Grand, said: "We have been overwhelmed by the response to our injured toy soldier.

"Thank you to everyone who got in touch, and especially to Martin at ECS Accident Repair who kindly offered to repair the broken leg. Thanks to Martin, our toy soldier will be back on his feet, standing guard at The Edinburgh Grand’s entrance, in no time.”