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Part of Glenrothes’ public artwork has gone missing during the demolition of a shopping precinct.

The work by artist David Harding featuring poetry slabs has been part of the townscape for decades.

They went missing from Glenwood Shopping Centre which is set for demolition. The site is currently fenced off before work gets underway, and Fife Council said it didn’t know where the slabs had gone.

Mr Harding was the town artist for a decade, and made a huge contribution to Glenrothes’ unique use of public art as the new town started to become established.

David Harding pictured during his time in Glenrothes as a town artist

The slabs feature poetry by Douglas Young, Hugh Macdiarmid and Sydney Goodsir Smith and had been part of the landscape at Glenwood for a number of years. His other work the Henge, a spiral of cast concrete slabs in Beaufort Drive, and a mural on an underpass called Industry.

Mr Harding told the BBC he was “very upset” at the news his work at Glenwood had disappeared.

They formed a collection of around ten which were positioned at bus stops and phone boxes - they were created for specific locations - and are thought to be the only ones left

He said: "I have about 30 or 40 pieces of art work in Glenrothes and I thought they would be there forever. I was doing it for posterity. I am very proud of my work and I get tremendous satisfaction when I walk around Glenrothes and see them. When I heard three poetry slabs had disappeared I was very sad."

David Harding working on his public art in Glenrothes

Mr Harding, now aged 86, studied at the Edinburgh College of Art. He worked in Glenrothes from 1968 and created a series of public art installations throughout the town using the same building materials that were used to create local housing.

Andy MacLellan, Fife Council's community projects team manager, said he was disappointed that the slabs had been removed.

He said: "These paving stones were taken from the area within the herras fencing which is around the perimeter of the site. It's really disappointing that they are missing. We hope someone will come forward to confirm they are in safe hands for re-laying as part of the master plan for the area."

Artist’s dismay as poetry slabs go missing in Glenrothes precinct demolition