Loathsome vandals desecrated the area around one of Colchester's famous landmarks with racist obscenities.

Police were called to Castle Park to reports of racist graffiti scrawled across buildings, pathways and signs throughout the park.

The phrases, including swear words and threats to kill, were sprayed on the bandstand floor, the side of the cafe building, on various paths - including one beside the children's play area - and on both the Castle Park Centenary Memorial and the VE and VJ Day Memorial.

Phallic symbols were also daubed across signs and paths.

The despicable vandalism has shocked both councillors and police.

Chris Arnold, Colchester Council's portfolio holder for Culture and the Environment, said: "I was incredibly sad when I heard that somebody should have picked one of the town's most famous landmarks, and gone out of their way to be loathsomely offensive.

"They have gone out of their way to take in all of the most sensitive parts of the park, systematically targeting the memorials, the bandstand and everywhere else."

Colchester Town neighbourhood policing team Inspector Paul Butcher said: "The Colchester town team will do everything possible to catch the offender and bring them to justice."

A team of up to a dozen people, including Colchester Council gardeners, park rangers, security guards and the special clean-up team, spent all day yesterday scrubbing the obscenities from the park.

Ian Baalham, the council's Parks and Recreation officer, said that while it was difficult to put a precise cost on the clean-up operation, he estimated it would have been in the region of £1,500 to £2,000.

Anyone with any information should call Insp Butcher on 01206 762212.