Vandals deface Uffington White Horse in Oxfordshire

Officers from Thames Valley Police were called to the 3,000-year-old chalk monument at about 22h00 on Thursday.

They found the head and eye of the horse had been sprayed with purple paint. A banner that read “fathers 4 justice stop the secret family courts” was recovered from the scene. New Fathers 4 Justice and Real Fathers for Justice both denied responsibility.

Police and members of the National Trust have been working to re-chalk the monument.

They should've picked a legitimate target like a court house not an historic monument which should be protected for our children Sgt Steve Clark said: “The monument has been pretty much restored now and is back to how it should look.

“This was a mindless act of criminal damage on an ancient monument.”

Richard Henderson, the National Trust's general manager for Oxfordshire, said: “We are appalled by this act of mindless vandalism to one of the country's most famous ancient monuments.

“It is particularly sad as only last weekend members of the public helped re-chalk the horse as part of a traditional community volunteering event.”

Volunteers had only re-chalked the horse a week ago The White Horse at Uffington is the oldest dated chalk figure in the country and forms part of a landscape of ancient sites.