War memorial in Purfleet vandalised in 'despicable attack'

The vandalism happened overnight between Friday and Saturday

A war memorial has been vandalised in a "despicable" attack.

Police said the metal statues, named the Tommy Silhouettes, had their heads snapped off and were ripped from stands outside a heritage centre in Essex.

The memorial in Purfleet commemorating soldiers killed in the First and Second World Wars was attacked between 20:00 BST on Friday and 10:00 on Saturday.

Ch Insp Natalia Ross said: "They were damaged - possibly beyond repair - in despicable acts."

"A dedicated officer has been allocated to the investigation to look into the circumstances and to find those responsible," she added.

The Tommy Silhouettes memorial stands outside Purfleet Heritage and Military Museum

Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator and Purfleet resident Lisa Wright said she was "angered, disappointed and sad" when she saw the damage.

She has raised £300 to replace the statues through a fundraising page.

"One row of soldiers has been ripped from its fixings and discarded and vandalised on the floor, and the other row has been beheaded," she said.