Malmo: A 5000-year-old rock carving in Norway which depicts a figure on skis has been "damaged forever" by youths who claim they were trying to improve it.

The two alleged vandals said they had been trying to repair the historical site by carving over the outline of the figure to make it easier to see – but local officials described their makeshift restoration as a "tragedy" for Norway's cultural heritage.

This 5000-year-old Norwegian carving of a skier has been defaced by two youths.

Both youths now risk criminal charges under Norway's Cultural Heritage Act, according to archaeologist Tor-Kristian Storvik, who was the first to survey the damage.

Mr Storvik, the archeologist for Norway's Nordland county, said that he was pleased that the boys had come forward and confessed, but was not ready to retract the crime report sent to the police.