Vandals scratch memorial to child victims of Blitz

Grey tape on the damaged plaque covers offensive language

Vandals have scratched offensive language on a memorial plaque bearing the names of dozens of children killed in the Blitz, police have said.

The World War Two memorial, which marks deaths during the Blitz of Bath in 1942, is also missing a metal cross.

Damage to the plaque, in a memorial garden on Shaftesbury Road in Bath, was discovered on Tuesday.

Avon and Somerset Police are investigating. The force said there was no evidence of political motivation and it was treating the case as an act of "mindless vandalism".

"Police are aware that a small number of people have repeatedly engaged in anti-social behaviour in the area and are committed to working with the community to tackle this problem," the force added.

Bath was hit three times in April 1942 by the Luftwaffe, not for its military importance but for its historic buildings.

The approach was revenge for Britain's bombing of the old town of Lubeck, a German port.

The attacks on Bath were part of the "Baedeker raids" – in which English cities were chosen as targets if they were highly rated on the German Baedeker tourist guide.

More than 400 people were killed in Bath in total.