Chief architect at León cathedral, Mariano Saénz de Miera, has explained that a combination of rainwater, accumulated bird droppings and recent frosts were probably responsible for one of the gargoyles on the southern portico of the cathedral to become detached yesterday.

Fortunately, nobody was injured when the 80kg block of stone came crashing to the ground from a height of thirty metres.

Mr Saénz went on to say that restoration work would begin immediately, but that the original gargoyle, which was completely destroyed in the fall, will be replaced with a slightly smaller one for conservation purposes.