A BEAUTIFUL sculpture symbolising the everlasting bond between bereaved parents and their baby has been vandalised beyond repair.

The artwork formed the poignant centrepiece of a memorial garden at the Royal Bolton Hospital, where parents could go and remember their little ones.

It is the third time the specially commissioned sculpture in the baby memorial garden has been damaged.

But this time it cannot be repaired as the "branches" of the sculpture were badly damaged ­— and the hospital is appealing for information to find the heartless vandals responsible and left people at the hospital devastated.

The sculpture was created by Victoria Lynch who won a competition for art students at the University of Bolton, with the £5,000 cost being met by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust's charitable fund.

The artwork represents a tree with the parents’ hands clasped in the form of wings — and parents visiting the garden will be able to leave messages on pebbles in remembrance of their child, placed around the base.

A child’s hand is incorporated into the design.

The memorial garden was refurbished and reopened in late Summer 2017.

The Rev. Catherine Binns, Deputy Head Chaplain, said the vandalism had been reported to the police.

She said: "This is a place where bereaved families come for peace and reflection.

" We’re all very upset about it."

READ MORE: Inside new A&E after £9m transformation

The memorial garden opened in September 2017 by two sets of parents who tragically lost their babies and raised thousands of pounds for the hospital.

The ribbon was cut by Russ and Debbie Chadwick and Claire Lister and Matt Vause who lost babies at the hospital and who raised almost £10,000 between them towards the project.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 1061 of 12/03/19 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.