A mural created by schoolchildren has been vandalised — for a second time in three weeks.

The mural, made up of portraits the children took of members of the public, was created by the Bermuda National Gallery’s Youth, Camera, Action camp and the St George’s Community Centre’s camp for teenagers.

Peter Lapsley, the BNG executive director, said: “This was an incredibly positive programme and a great collaborative effort — we consider it a great success.

“To have the outcome vandalised and then to have it vandalised again is extremely disappointing.

“I wish people would not vandalise things when kids are doing some great work.

“They are working really hard to make this stuff happen. It is just very disappointing.”

The I Am Beautiful project was put together by more than 50 pupils over the summer holidays and was unveiled on a wall opposite Somers Garden in St George in mid-August.

It was designed to raise community spirit and improve photography and communication skills. But two weeks into the exhibition, some of the portraits were scratched out.

The damage was repaired but a week later the same portraits were targeted a second time.

The project was supported by the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation and the Bank of Bermuda Foundation.

“The BNG had to use funds earmarked for other arts programmes to fix it after the first attack. Staff members are now in discussions on whether to spend more cash to reprint and reinstall the artwork for the second time. Police were alerted to the vandalism and an investigation is expected to be launched.