Police investigate after flare set off on Everton's Dean statue

(Reuters) - Merseyside Police have launched an investigation after a red flare was set off on the statue of Everton record goalscorer Dixie Dean outside the Premier League club's Goodison Park stadium.

Everton said in a statement that the club were assisting police in their enquiries and that no damage had been done to the memorial.

"We encourage anyone with information relating to this disappointing and disrespectful incident to contact Merseyside Police," Everton said on their website https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1713234/club-statement.

"Following inspection - and cleaning of the memorial and the site - we can thankfully confirm no permanent damage has been done to the statue of our greatest-ever goalscorer - or the floral tributes laid at the foot of the statue."

Dean, who scored 383 goals for Everton, including a record 60 league goals in a single season, helped the club win two league championships and the FA Cup. His statue has been outside Goodison Park since 2001.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)