‘No thanks’ and ‘No’ were written on the rock, after the result of the independence referendum, but now ‘return this rock to nature’ has been painted on it.

Children from Kilcreggan Primary came up with the design for the large rock in Cove Bay as part of the Sea Change festival this summer and it was painted with the help of artists Eleanor Carlingford and Christine Borland.

The bright and colourful art work can be spotted from afar – similar to the famous Tut Tut at Kilcreggan – and the pupils were proud of their hard work in creating it.

Members of the art committee at Rosneath Peninsula West Development Trust re-painted the rock after the first spate of vandalism.

But now with this second attack, residents have been left disheartened, as Advertiser columnist Ruth Wishart explains in her column this week (page six).

Police officers at Helensburgh are aware of the incident and were contacted by a member of the community council last week.