YOBS have vandalised a memorial bench at a town park in Nailsea.
The seat was funded by Nailsea councillor Jan Barber, right, in memory of her mother, Mary Alton, who died in February 2004, aged 85.
The attack – which saw white gloss paint daubed across the bench – came only nine months after the death of Mrs Barber's husband Alan, a well-known 'parks champion' and promoter of public open spaces.
Mrs Barber said: "I donated the seat in memory of my mother and it has sat at the park near the Scotch Horn Centre for seven years and only suffered a minimum of graffiti.
"The paint was thick gloss and looked absolutely dreadful. It is wanton vandalism and I am most upset.
"The paint is in blobs around the path leading from the seat so presumably that will wear off in the fullness of time."
Although it was covered with white paint the special dedication plaque remained untouched, said Mrs Barber.
North Somerset Council operate a scheme throughout the district for people to donate a commemorative bench or tree to loved ones or prominent public figures. A council spokesman said: "We have thousands of benches at selected parks and open spaces of which 600 are memorial seats.
"This is an isolated incident and we have very few cases of our benches being vandalised or damaged in any way.
"The last spate was six to seven years ago when brass plaques were stolen from Clarence Park at Weston-super-Mare and we now recommend stainless steel instead of brass.
"The benches are strongly made hardwood seats with cast iron ends and cost approximately £600 with an additional cost of £150 if a concrete base is required.
"The bench paid for by Mrs Barber has been removed by Somerset Wood Recycling which is based at Clarence Park and has the contract to maintain all our park benches.
"We have a rolling programme that every three years they are 'restored' – that is re-varnished and damaged slats replaced – and put back on site with two to three weeks."
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