Fife’s armed forces champion has hit out at vandals who targeted Kirkcaldy’s war memorial.
Graffiti was daubed on steps at the tribute in the town’s Memorial Gardens in the latest incident to affect the site in recent years.
Staff from Fife Council were dispatched to remove the mess just hours after last week’s assault.
Councillor Rod Cavanagh, who represents the local authority in its dealings with the military, said he was grateful for the prompt response.
However, he said the act was an attack on the town and on those who had given their lives for their country.
The SNP councillor for Kirkcaldy East said: “The Memorial Gardens in Kirkcaldy is one of the most attractive gardens in Fife and a fitting tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
“It is really disappointing that this memorial has been desecrated by this mindless act of vandalism.”
Located in the heart of Kirkcaldy, the Memorial Gardens hosts huge numbers of townsfolk on Remembrance Sunday.
However, it is also a popular drinking den for local youths, and empty beer cans and bottles are often left lying around.
Fife Council recently completed the first phase of a regeneration project for the gardens, laying a new pathway through the area.
Continued investment is promised in the next financial year with further upgrades set to follow.
Angus Thomson, Fife Council’s senior cleaning manager, said graffiti clearing squads prioritised sensitive sites and always aimed to respond immediately.
He said: “We do our best to clean public property and often rely on people reporting graffiti – which can be done online.
“Unfortunately we have limited resources to tackle the issue, so we have to prioritise the work and can’t always respond quickly.
“However, if the graffiti is offensive or, as in this case, desecrating a war memorial we will do our best to respond to reports within 24 hours.”
