VANDALS have defiled a war memorial in Penhill, scrawling obscenities into the stonework and breaking blocks off it.

The damage, which was discovered late on Sunday night, has been described as heartbreaking by members of the Royal British Legion who battled to save the monument just three years ago.

“It is so heartbreaking to see,” said branch treasurer Carole O’Sullivan.

“To cause damage is bad enough, but to put graffiti on something that is there to remember the dead and what they did for us in the war is just totally disrespectful.”

York stone blocks have been broken off the surround and swear words and names, as well as phrases like Lucy loves Josh have been etched into the memorial itself.

“They have written and literally scratched things into some of the slabs and the actual floor of the cenotaph,” said Carole.

“It is there to remember what people did and to do something like that, it just shows that they have no respect at all.”

Carole’s husband Tim, the branch chairman found the damage to the memorial at St Peter’s Church, in Penhill Drive, on Sunday night when he went to raise the flag ready for the Princess Royal’s birthday on Tuesday.

“When he came back he was absolutely fuming. I got a bit upset,” Carole said.

The couple reported the damage to the police and spent yesterday morning sweeping away debris and attempting to tidy the stones back on to the wall as a temporary measure.

Now the branch fears it could be facing a heavy bill to repair the damage.

“We have got to get a stonemason out – it’s all York stone and that’s expensive,” said Carole.

“It is not a case that we can just go and wash it off.”

The monument was moved when the old legion base in Downton Road was shut.

“It had been there more than 40 years and the people of Penhill raised the bulk of the £6,000 needed to make the move,” said Carole.

“We had to fight to get the money together to get the cenotaph moved from where it was to the church.”

The damage is thought to have been done some time on Sunday.

“We’re hoping that if someone saw anything they will tell the police,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Carole said: “Kids will be kids but I think people in this area and most of the people in Penhill do know better and that it is there as a thing of remembrance.”