Police probe anti-English graffiti on roundabout

Police have appealed for information after graffiti involving the use of offensive language appeared on the mini roundabout

A Welsh flag and "obscene" anti-English graffiti have been painted on a roundabout in a north Wales seaside town.

An England flag was daubed on the same mini roundabout on Maesdu Road, Llandudno, Conwy county, in late August.

Conwy council removed this, stating vandalism wasted public money, while North Wales Police said enquiries were ongoing.

In the latest incident, vandals have painted a Welsh flag at the same site, along with "obscene anti-English slogans", the force said.

Ch Insp Trystan Bevan said: "Hate-related offences, including those that target communities or national identities, are taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated under any circumstances."

He urged "anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Maesdu Road / Bodnant Road area between 26 August and 1 September to get in touch".

Police were particularly keen to hear from drivers who may have captured dashcam footage from this time, he added.

Conwy council said it would remove the latest graffiti, which comes as flags are being displayed both legally and illegally across the UK.

Groups responsible for putting up the flags have told the BBC they were motivated by pride and patriotism, while others said it felt provocative at a time when tensions were running high across England over the issue of immigration.

The St George's Cross appeared on the roundabout in Llandudno at the end of August

Reform UK councillor Thomas Montgomery, who represents the Tudno ward, said it was "disappointing to see the words that were inscribed on the roundabout after someone painted the Welsh flag, and I think a lot of residents have felt that was quite divisive within the ward and the town".

A council spokesperson said unauthorised painting or graffiti to the road surface was illegal and would be removed.

"This vandalism costs public money to repair and will cause disruption to road users while we clean it up," they added.