Footballer's statue vandalism labelled a disgrace

The Hanley statue of the football legend was daubed with what was reported as paint

The vandalism of a football legend's statue has been described as a disgrace.

The bronze statue of Stoke-on-Trent born footballer Sir Stanley Matthews, which stands in the city centre, has been daubed with a bright pink substance.

The substance was found to be a rubberised product, easier to clean off than paint, a spokesman for the Stoke-on-Trent Business Improvement District (BID) said. Chief executive Richard Buxton said it was still "vandalism and appalling behaviour."

The statue, by sculptor Colin Melbourne, was unveiled by Sir Stanley in 1987. The footballer played almost 700 games for Stoke and Blackpool and gained 54 England caps before retiring in 1965, aged 50.

Sir Stanley was born in Hanley on 1 February 1915, and signed for his home team in 1932. He died in 2000, aged 85.

Passersby told the BBC the vandalism, spotted on Tuesday morning, was "a disgrace" and "disgusting".

The vandalism has been described as appalling behaviour