MINDLESS vandals are being hunted by police after they scrawled a symbol of racial hatred across the side of a community building. A 2ft-high swastika was painted on a rear wall of the Old School Hall in Green End Road, Sawtry along with the letters WP

'MINDLESS vandals' are being hunted by police after they scrawled a symbol of racial hatred across the side of a community building.

A 2ft-high swastika was painted on a rear wall of the Old School Hall in Green End Road, Sawtry along with the letters 'WP' in pink emulsion paint.

Chairman of Sawtry Parish Council, Cllr Dick Tuplin, told The Hunts Post the "mindless vandalism" had angered him and other councillors.

"Although it was cleaned up the next day people still would have seen it and it would have been upsetting.

"We have suffered from windows being smashed in the past but graffiti is something new in this village and we hope it is a one-off.

"We have CCTV so hopefully the police will catch the culprits."

Cllr Tuplin added that the parish council handyman had cleaned up the graffiti which was painted on the wall overnight on Wednesday, April 2.

The hall is used as a meeting place for the parish council and Sawtry-based community groups such as Brownies, Rainbows and the Buttons and Bows Playgroup.

Chris Duncan, a supervisor at the playgroup, said: "I was quite shocked and very angry when I saw the graffiti. It is not something you expect to see."

Hate crime office DC Jamie Brownsell is investigating the vandalism.

He said: "Graffiti like this has the potential to cause major problems within our multi-cultural communities and disturb the harmony of our villages.

"Luckily, it was cleaned up quickly and was not seen by many people."

He added: "This racist vandalism seems to have come out of the blue and does not seem to be aimed at anyone in particular. But the culprits would have known what they were doing and the upset their vandalism would have caused.

"I cannot recall any other Huntingdonshire village where this symbol has been used in graffiti so I hope it's an isolated incident."

Police said they would like to speak to a man who was seen in the area at the time. He was described at 5ft 6in tall, in his 20s and was wearing dark clothes.

INFORMATION: Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Paul Sykes on 0845 4564564 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.