Poor old Hector just can’t seem to catch a break.

As the mascot for Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, the 183cm, grinning chunk of coal already has to contend with constant backlash from unhappy parents who claim he is brainwashing kids into supporting the coal industry.

In Mackay, Hector has his own book and Saturday morning TV segment, which covers everything from doing your homework,how to save energy and living an active, healthy lifestyle.

Although Hector is used to a certain amount of controversy, this time somebody may have taken things a step too far.

A rather cunning conservationist known as Christine Carlisle infiltrated Hector’s annual picture book competition with an entry that not only painted Hector as the root of all environmental evil, but went so far as to kill him off.

The story, titled Hector Rests in Peace, sees him “helped back into a hole in the ground to rest in peace and sleep forever”. Needless to say, the story resulted in emotional turmoil for the coal-loving kids of the area.

In a bid to subdue emotion, the writer told local media that Hector, in fact, didn’t die he just fell into a forever sleep, which sounds a lot like dying if you ask me, but that’s poetic licence for you.

“I think we're just returning him to where he came from”, the conservationist and suspected coal killer said.

The story follows Hector as he becomes old and tired and decides to “sleep forever”, leaving Windy the Wind Turbine and Solly the Solar Panel to take the reins.

"Hector is all fun and smiles with the kids, but we thought it was important that children hear the real story of coal," Carlisle told the Daily Mercury.

A DBCT spokeswoman said the winning entry in the competition would receive $2000 and Carlisle could even take out the competition.

"It's open to all Australian individuals ... winners will be determined by a panel of judges based on the criteria outlined in the terms and conditions of the competition," she said.