The Argus is asking for your help to solve the mystery of the disappearing statues.

Five Victorian-era statues have disappeared from Brighton's Victoria Gardens and we want our readers to turn detective and help us solve the puzzle.

The statues, presented to the city in 1887 by Sir Edward Sassoon, are said to have depicted five allegorical figures representing Morning, Welcome, Fidelity, Truth and Night.

All that remains of the five are two plinths, each at opposite ends of the gardens.

Two other plinths went to Preston Park, where they remain and the other, which has disappeared, went to Wild Park.

No one has seen the statues for decades and no one fully knows where they ended up or even why they were removed.

One theory has suggested the statues were removed after a public outcry over the figures' nudity. As to their final destination, the trail goes cold.

The remaining plinths are about 10ft high and 10ft square at the base tapering to 3ft square at the top.

They both have at some time had an inscription which has been roughly grounded out.

The Argus's statue hunt has been launched together with the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) which wants to use the two empty plinths for new public arts.

Radio broadcaster and theatre director Faynia Williams, a fellow with the RSA, said: "The artwork could be anything.

"It could be a piece of performance art or something more specific. We've got lots of ideas bubbling.

"It all started off when I used to walk across Victoria Gardens to work and I noticed there were two empty plinths.

"Why should we leave these plinths empty?

"We put it to the Brighton and Hove area of the RSA as a possible project to take up and maybe to commission somebody to fill the plinths."

Early discussions have already been held and the project has already received the backing from the Mayor of Brighton and Hove Carol Theobald.

The RSA also held a debate last week about the possibility of placing new public art on the plinths, which received a warm welcome.

It also plans a day of statue hunting for families and children to get involved with the project.

It already has a website and a group on internet social networking site Facebook which people can visit or join for more information.

Do you know anything about the statues' disappearance? Tell us below or call Richard Gurner on 01273 544531.