OFFERS of help have poured in to repair a Swindon war memorial that was desecrated by vandals.

The damage, which featured in last Tuesday’s Advertiser, shocked readers including stonemasons who have now volunteered their skills for free for a day in a bid to restore the monument.

Penhill Royal British Legion treasurer Carole O’ Sullivan, whose husband Tim made the discovery late on Sunday evening, said: “It just puts my faith back in humanity that obviously there are people out there that care.”

She said a stonemason had already got in contact and offering his services. He was also recruiting several colleagues to help.

Residents have also been volunteering to clean it up, although the couple had already done what they could to tidy up.

“Penhill is slated sometimes for being such a bad estate. It’s no worse than any other estate out there and in lots of ways it does have community spirit when it is called for.”

Carole said a fundraising camping was on the cards but would wait until the stonemasons had a chance to do their work. At that point the Legion would have a better idea how much the remaining work was likely to cost.

A meeting with the stonemasons is planned and the repair work could be carried out early next month.

“The one quote we have had so far is £1,350 plus VAT,” she said. “What they have to do is polish out all the graffiti that has been scratched into the stone and they have to polish the whole thing.”

Several stones that were chipped or broken would also have to be replaced.

News of the vandalism shocked residents. “They have been saying it is disgusting and people should show more respect.”

The memorial had been in Penhill for more than four decades and had only suffered “the odd bit of damage, but nothing major,” said Carole.

“It is something that always seemed to be respected. That was why it was so shocking when we found out what had been done to it.”

But the incident could have some positive repercussions. “I think it has reminded people why it is there.”

She was also encouraged that local primary schools seemed to value it, because the day after Remembrance Sunday the pupils would visit to lay their homemade poppies in the garden around it at St Peter’s Church in Penhill Drive.

The memorial was moved to the church in 2013 after the former Legion club in Downton Road was shut down.