Call for damage to stop at Ness Point in Lowestoft

Lowestoft Town Council collected damaged plates, but estimated they would cost thousands to replace

"Mindless" criminal damage to a landmark at the UK's most easterly point must stop, a mayor has warned, after it was vandalised over two days.

Ness Point in Lowestoft, Suffolk, is home to The Euroscope - a series of plaques showing the mileage to other locations across the world.

Between 5 and 6 December, many of the plaques were lifted and damaged and the central disc was also stolen.

Lowestoft Town Council said it would cost thousands of pounds to repair.

Several plates of The Euroscope were removed and damaged this week

The plates mark the distances to locations across Britain and Europe

Sonia Barker, mayor of Lowestoft, said: "I am appalled by this mindless vandalism that has taken place at this important landmark.

"People on the council and the wider community will be outraged by what has happened because it's totally unacceptable."

The landmark is close to the sea wall at the North Denes area of the town.

The plates that surround the landmark show distances to capitals across Europe and to the three other cardinal points of Britain.

The Euroscope has been a part of Ness Point for many years

"This is a place where people start and end their charity challenges across the UK, so it's really important," Ms Barker continued.

"We need to make sure that this is dealt with as soon as possible - and if anybody knows anything about it, they should let the police know.''

Lowestoft's mayor, Sonia Barker, said she was "appalled" by the vandalism in the run-up to the Winter Solstice

The Euroscope was installed in 1997 and cost £18,000 at the time, paid for by Shell UK, Suffolk County Council, the former Waveney Council and the European Union.

The site is popular among locals and visitors from further afield, including Aby Gooch who regularly comes to the landmark.

Ms Gooch said: "I can't believe it personally. This is such a sought out area in Lowestoft - lots of people come here to look at the view and now it's just been ruined."

Aby Gooch said she could not believe the landmark had been ruined

Suffolk Police is appealing for any witnesses and information about the criminal activity to be reported to the force.