GRAFFITI VANDALS have spray painted 'IRA' onto a memorial silhouette honouring the late Captain Sir Tom Moore.
The memorial was erected at a nature reserve in Hatton, Derbyshire, two days after the war veteran died at the age of 100 in February earlier this year.
The graffiti was spotted by a member of the public and was covered up within hours, the Daily Mail reports.
Police are now appealing for information on the incident.
Anthony Ball, chairman of the Dove Valley Community Project, told the Daily Mail that he felt "physically sick" when he made the discovery.
He added:
"I was on a walk around the meadow when I saw it - it made me feel physically sick.
"I had to go back home and fetch a bin bag to put on him. I couldn't let people see him with that graffiti on, it's not nice.
"I hope they're pleased with themselves, it's beyond belief."
During the first Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020, Sir Tom raised almost £40 million for NHS charities by walking around his garden.
On his 100th birthday, the former officer received over 150,000 birthday cards.
He died after contracting pneumonia and coronavirus and was knighted by The Queen.
The life-sized silhouette memorial was created by AGC Fabrications, a company which previously donated a soldier statue to replace a war memorial that had been stolen from the same Derbyshire village.
Sir Tom's family recently said they wish to set up an annual day in his honour in a bid to create a "Children in Need for older people".
The plan for a Captain Tom Day, which could be launched next June, would help "revolutionise the way society thinks about ageing".
