Tourist knocks over 126-year-old Portugese statue after trying to take a selfie with it

The man, who has not been identified by police, attempted to flee the scene

The Dom Sebastiao statue at Rossio station in happier times (Reuters)

A young man attempting to take a selfie accidentally knocked over a 128-year-old statue, leaving it shattered in the street.

The 24-year-old had climbed up next to the statue of Dom Sebastiao on the Rossio train station facade in Lisbon, Portugal, to get the perfect picture.

But once standing next the statue, he inadvertently toppled the free-standing sculpture off its pedestal.

The man, who has not been identified by police, attempted to flee the scene but was caught by officers and is expected to appear in front of a judge.

A spokesperson for Infrastructure Portugal said it was not yet known when it would be fixed.

Rossio station, built in the Neo-Manueline style, was completed in 1890 and is now a protected building.

The shattered remains of the statue (Infraestruturas de Portugal)

The statue's subject, Dom Sebastiao. ruled Portugal between 1557 and 1578, dying in battle at the age of 24 during a crusade of his own making in Morocco.