Paint clean-up experts sent in 
after memorial is vandalised

A specialist team of masons began a three-day clean-up operation at Hunslet Cemetery yesterday, where the Cross of Sacrifice had been painted with a crude noughts and crosses pattern.

Officials at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which has sent in the team to clean the cross, say they get around four calls to the same cemetery every year.

This time vandals used heavy duty silver paint that usual cleaning methods could not remove and the team had to be sent.

Works supervisor Steve Nellany said the job would cost up to £400.

He added: “Unfortunately this is not a rare occurrence. Noughts and crosses make a change from the type of obscene language that appears three or four times a year.

“The trouble this time is that it’s proving much harder to remove so it’ll take our works team up to three days to get rid of it.”

Once the Cross of Sacrifice is cleaned up, a special coating will be applied to reduce the adhesiveness of any future graffiti, making it easier to remove.

The CWGC media and PR manager, Matt Morris, said: “This type of vandalism is still rare.

“Most people respect the work of the commission in commemorating the sacrifice of the fallen from the two world wars.

“But it is very sad when it does happen and it is frustrating for our works teams who have enough on their plates without dealing with graffiti.”