Lighthouse vandalised hours after long-awaited paint job (From Gazette)

Lighthouse vandalised hours after long-awaited paint job

2:10pm Wednesday 18th March 2009

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VANDALS have struck again at a popular landmark just hours after volunteers finished painting it.

The Low Lighthouse, home to Harwich Maritime Museum, has been targeted by vandals more than ten times in the last 12 months and was again covered in graffiti on Monday.

The charity recently received funding to give the building its first make-over in 30 years and volunteers had been busy repainting the lighthouse only hours before the vandals struck.

Jacky Walton, curator of the museum, said: “The graffiti and vandalism has been going on for years. In the last year we finally got the money to repaint the outside of the lighthouse and after we had spent hours painting it all, someone ruined it.

“We had been working until 7.30pm that evening and when I came in the next morning, faces, initials and fingerprints had been drawn all over it. It is very frustrating.”

Mrs Walton is now hoping a place will be provided to allow graffiti artists in the town a place to display their work without resorting to vandalising property.

She said: “I would be happy to put a plaster board up where people can go and graffiti to their hearts content, some of it is good.”

The Harwich Crime Prevention Panel is in discussions over getting a “graffiti shelter”, where youngsters can meet and paint.

It was hoped the Low Lighthouse would be open to the public over the Easter Holidays but Mrs Walton says this may be delayed until May 1.

Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call Harwich police on 0300 3334444.

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