Tonne of equipment at hill-top chapel to clean graffiti

The socially-distanced team carried equipment about 500m on foot to the site, including up stairs

Volunteers dragged nearly a tonne of equipment and hundreds of litres of water to the end of a peninsula to clean up graffiti on a 14th Century chapel in Cornwall.

The work was to remove a tag painted on the base of the Rame Head chapel, whose origins dates back to the late-1300s.

The team carried out the work in full PPE [personal protection equipment].

Those involved said they did not charge for the work and money from an online fundraising page was to go to charity.

The operation at the hill-top chapel, near Cawsand, in south-east Cornwall, had to be approved by government preservation organisation Historic England, Andrew Carr of local company The Renovation Men said.

The chapel is believed to have been licensed for services in 1397.

The chapel was licensed for services in 1397

Graffiti-removal product was used to remove "nasty" paint

His firm and an exterior cleaning specialist was involved, he wrote on Facebook.

The socially-distanced team of four and a helper carried equipment about 500m (550 yards) on foot to the site, including an industrial steamer, a pressure washer, a petrol generator, 30m (100ft) of "ridiculously heavy" hose and 650 litres (170 gallons) of water, Mr Carr said.

Steam and graffiti-removal product was used to get "all the nasty paint ...removed" during the operation on Monday, he said.

Work was then carried out to blend the newly-cleaned part with the old.

Those involved said they were pleased with the result of the work

"We were all conscious of social distancing, but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves", he said, adding everyone was "pleased with the result".

Photos of the tag, found last month, were also taken during the clean-up "to aid police and Historic England with their investigation" into who sprayed it, he added.

More than £350 raised for the cleaning is to going to the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park.