Church's Ukrainian flag defaced with racist wording

The Ukrainian flag in the grounds of St Giles Church in Uley was pulled down and defaced

Officers are investigating who scrawled racist wording on a Ukrainian flag that had been hanging by a village church.

The flag had been flying on a pole in the grounds of St Giles Church in Uley, Gloucestershire, as a show of solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Police said it had been taken down sometime overnight between 26 and 27 May and racist words were written across it in black marker pen.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, President Vladimir Putin told the Russian people his goal was to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine.