Swastikas spray-painted across commemorative D-Day bench, say police

Lincolnshire site was used during Second World War for aircraft taking off for Normandy

Commemorative bench spray painted with a swastika in Twyford Woods (PA)

Police have launched an investigation after a series of swastikas were spray-painted across a commemorative D-Day bench in Lincolnshire.

The bench was one of several areas in Twyford Woods defaced with the hate symbol sometime between Sunday and Monday, said Lincolnshire Police.

The force is appealing for witnesses after a disused fuel drum, a wall and the commemorative bench were all targeted with silver and white spray paint.

The site was used as an airfield in the Second World War for aircraft to take off for Normandy ahead of D-Day.

In a statement, Lincolnshire Police said: “Between Sunday 9th June and Monday 10th June, a number of areas within the Twyford Woods site have been defaced with swastikas in silver and white spray paint.

“This includes a commemorative bench which has been extensively vandalised,” the statement. “We are appealing for witnesses to this vandalism and anyone with any information that can assist with our investigation to contact us.”

Earlier this week vandals destroyed military gravestones in Yorkshire in the days leading up to D-Day’s 75th anniversary.

Several headstones, including some provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for the anniversary, were smashed at Hirst Wood burial ground in Shipley, in what police labelled a “mindless act of destruction”.

Hirst Wood Regeneration Group campaigners said: “It is impossible to understand the callous thoughtlessness of those who did this.

“Do they boast to their friends and relations that they managed to smash gravestones? What possible satisfaction can they get from such a mindless act?”

Anyone with information on the vandalism in Twyford Woods can contact police on 101 quoting incident number 54 of June 10th or via email force.control@lincs.pnn.police.uk quoting incident number 54 of June 10th in the subject line. Or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Additional reporting by PA