They were removed from the lake bed last night after vandals decapitated one zebra, taking its head as a souvenir, and dragged another one about 60m to the paddock fence near the Federal Highway.

It was a sudden and violent end for the sculptures, which were installed on Lake George five weeks ago by artists Alan and Julie Aston.

Yesterday broken pieces of striped fibreglass and empty alcohol containers littered the lake bed as Alan Aston surveyed the damage.

''I thought they might have just taken one and dragged it [away] but no, they've done more,'' he said. ''They've just about destroyed that one. They've extensively damaged each one they've kicked in the sides, they've ripped the tails off, they've ripped ears off and really they've made extensive damage.''

Aston acknowledged the vandalism could have been predicted and was one of his fears for the project.

He said he was ''very, very disappointed'' and couldn't understand the mentality of people who wanted to destroy the zebras.

''It really is sad because everyone has really enjoyed them. It's really such a joyous thing. There are still people over there stopping to photograph them,'' he said.

The zebras had a short but lively history. The Astons installed them on the lake bed in June at the Wheatley VC rest stop on the Federal Highway, neglecting to get permission from authorities.

The NSW Government told them to remove the sculptures after a complaint from the farmer who leased the grazing land.

After public outcry, the Government granted the zebras a reprieve and Aston was working to lodge the correct paperwork to keep them on the lake bed.

Yesterday he said the zebras would go back to his studio for repairs and would not be displayed on the lake bed again.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times