Bacon mistaken for human head

Richard Morrison describes the artwork as "macabre"

Police have apologised to an artist after raiding his home when an artwork made out of bacon was mistaken for a human head.

Richard Morrison, 37, of Wavertree, Liverpool, returned home to find his door had been kicked in by police with a search warrant.

They had been acting on a tip off from a criminal who had broken into the artist's home just days earlier.

He told officer he had seen a human head in Mr Morrison's house.

But it was in fact a mask made from rashers of bacon, stored in formaldehyde.

The police told me that the burglar was terrified - he had a crisis of conscience and confessed his crimes to his mother Richard Morrison, artist

Chief Inspector Stephen Naylor apologised to Mr Morrison and said the force would pay for a new front door.

He added: "It would have been a dereliction of duty if we had not followed up this allegation. It was vitally important that we investigated."

Mr Morrison said the work had been inspired by the artist Damien Hirst who achieved fame for storing a shark in formaldehyde.

He added: "It's obviously a very macabre piece of work, but I never expected it to get this reaction.

"The police told me that the burglar was terrified - he had a crisis of conscience and confessed his crimes to his mother.

"I made the mask when I was on an art foundation course two years ago. It just seemed like an interesting concept.

"I was quite proud of the result, although it's sagging a bit now."

The criminal was arrested by police for a different crime.