Stockholm - A 13-metre high straw Christmas goat was destroyed by fire early Saturday in the northern Swedish city of Gavle, police said.

An unknown assailant set light to the goat erected on a square in the town 170 kilometres north of Stockholm.

Web camera images showed the burned remains of the black wooden skeleton of the goat that is 7 metres long.

The tradition of erecting a giant version of the traditional Swedish Christmas symbol on a downtown square dates back to 1966.

The goat has been burned some 20 times - the first time was on New Year's Eve 1966, setting another tradition.

The 2008 version of the goat was not impregnated with any chemicals to prevent fire as in some years. (dpa)