Trolled: Giant wooden art removed in Colorado

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. -- The town of Breckenridge in central Colorado is removing an art piece of a troll that has become a tourist attraction but also rankled nearby residents.

The Summit Daily News reports that town employees started removing the 15-foot (4.5-meter) wood troll in the ski resort town Thursday.

The Town Council cited public safety concerns in its Tuesday decision to get rid of the artwork that Danish artist Thomas Dambo was built for a summer arts festival that ended in August.

The original plan was to leave the troll in place as long it could withstand the elements and wasn't vandalized.

However, throngs of troll-seekers have caused numerous problems for some of nearby homeowners, who have complained about illegal parking, littering and a loss of privacy, among other issues.