Penis thieves nobbled: French statue is fitted with removable organ which is brought out for special occasions only after vandals kept snapping off the original

A hero of Greek mythology, known for his virility and thirst for women, has been stripped of his manhood one too many times, according to a seaside town in France.

A three-metre statue of Heracles, or Hercules, Greek mythology's divine hero, has stood in the Parc Mauresque in Arcachon since 1948, and the town has been powerless to stop vandals from constantly snapping off the beloved sculpture's genitalia.

A statue similar to this which stands in Parc Mauresque, Arcachon, has been robbed of its genitalia too many times according to townspeople (stock image)

Until now, that is.

To avoid any further pain or embarrassment to the statue, the townspeople have created a removable penis for the Greek God, for use only on special occasions which warrant ceremonies in the park.

'I wouldn't want anyone - not even my worst enemies - to go through what happens to this statue,' Mayor Yves Foulon said at a recent meeting, according to the Sud Ouest newspaper.

Deputy Mayor Martine Phelippot said it was the best solution, 'otherwise you just end up constantly chasing after the anatomy of Heracles'.
Heracles, or Hercules, was the son of Zeus and Alcmene, who famously killed the magical Nemean lion with his bare hands.

The skin of this lion drapes across the back of the statue, and is said to be a metaphor for France's resistance against Nazi forces.
In recent years, thieves have continually robbed the statue, especially during festivals and special events, leaving nothing in its nether regions but a thin metal rod.

The seaside town of Arcachon in France has only 12,000 residents, and Mayor Yves Foulon says what keeps happening to the Heracles statue is something he 'wouldn't want anyone - not even my worst enemies - to go through'

This isn't the first time the Greek God's penis has been a point of contention throughout the town of only 12,000 residents.

The sculptor, Claude Bouscau, was forced to shorten the length of the phallus more than once when the statue was built in the late 1940s, as some women in the town found it to be excessive.

Even in mythological times, Heracles apparently used his manhood to its full potential, allegedly bedding 50 women in one night.


dailymail