Lowestoft war memorial sites cleaned ahead of Remembrance

With locals set to join in with the national commemorations for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, vandals had targeted two war memorial sites in Lowestoft.

A seating area near the town's Royal Plain war monument was daubed in black graffiti within the past two to three weeks.

Lowestoft war memorial on Royal Plain. Image: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

Workers from East Suffolk Council and Lowestoft Town Council have now cleared the graffiti off the bench at Royal Plain - just yards away from where hundreds of people will fall silent this Sunday at the town's annual Remembrance Sunday service and parade at the war memorial.

No arrests have been made in connection with the graffiti being left on seating at Royal Plain.

On Saturday afternoon, the Lowestoft Naval Memorial in Belle Vue Park was defaced with red paint and handprints.

Red paint and handprints were daubed across the Lowestoft Naval Memorial, which stands in Belle Vue Park, Lowestoft. Image: Mark Boggis (Image: Mark Boggis)

Police attended the scene at around 3.50pm on Saturday, October 31, following reports of anti-social behaviour involving a group of young people in the area.

A 19-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and theft from a shop, and he has been bailed to return to police on December 22 while enquiries continue.

The Lowestoft Naval Memorial, which stands in Belle Vue Park, Lowestoft. Image: Mark Boggis (Image: Mark Boggis)

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - which is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Lowestoft Naval Memorial - has now cleaned the memorial.

Lowestoft Town Council, which owns Belle Vue Park, said the Commonwealth War Graves Commission had used specialist equipment "to remove the damage and preserve" the naval memorial.

A town council spokesman said: "We have also had recent vandalism at Ness Park, towards the end of last week, which has taken significant time to rectify."

Of the vandalism that has been caused, the town council spokesman added: "It would be disheartening at the best of times but, with the upcoming poignant memorials for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, it is especially disappointing.

"With the upcoming memorial services taking place this weekend and next week, which are significant moments of local and national commemoration, this vandalism is extremely disappointing as we prepare to pause together to commemorate those who have served."