A man repeatedly smashed the Corpus Clock with a hammer last night (04/03), leaving shards of glass all over the pavement.

Arriving at around 21:00, police cordoned off the corner of Benet street with tape, telling members of the public to step behind the broken glass. 

One student, who witnessed the attack, said the vandal “acted alone”, wearing only “a very dark hoodie and jeans with their face completely covered”.

Police at the scene told Varsity that the man had smashed the window at around 20:30 and that there was seemingly no sign of political motivation.

The attack was heard from inside the college’s library which is located directly behind the clock. One Corpus student recounted hearing “a series of loud bangs over a period of about a minute”.

She said: "I was slightly concerned but didn't find out what [the loud bangs] were until a bit later, then immediately went outside to see the damage".

The Corpus Clock is one of the most striking tourist attractions in Cambridge. Unveiled in 2008 by Stephen Hawking, the Clock is the design of Corpus alumnus John Taylor, a successful businessman and philanthropist known for his work with electric kettles. The Clock will celebrate its fifthteenth anniversary this year.

In a statement, Corpus Christi College told Varsity: “The College is saddened that the glass case housing the iconic Corpus Chronophage Clock was damaged last night…The police are investigating the matter and we will repair the damage as soon as possible”.