Police to visit schools to find 'mindless vandals' who daubed graffiti on historic Clitheroe Castle

It is the latest in a string of vandalism in Ribble Valley and the second at the keep in under a year. Random words and names in a blue marker pen have been scrawled all over the inside of the Castle Keep.

Now, the hunt is on for those responsible for the graffiti, who are facing the full force of the law and a hefty bill.

Police will this week be contacting local schools and youth groups in a bid to catch the culprits.

Sgt Kevin Day, of Clitheroe Police, is keen to catch the vandals behind this "mindless crime". He said: "We are working with the local authority and the castle staff. We are conducting CCTV enquiries and visiting all local schools in an effort to identify the culprits. Obviously, a very emotive and mindless crime and we will ensure that we follow any lines of enquiry."

A specialist team of restorers had to be drafted in to clean the keep at a cost of £2,000 to council taxpayers after names were daubed on its walls last year.

But the cost of rectifying the latest incident could top £10,000 and Ribble Valley Borough Council, which owns Clitheroe Castle, said those responsible will be made to pay.

Coun. Ricky Newmark, chairman of the council’s community committee, said: “We have had enough of this. What on earth are these people thinking of?

“Clitheroe Castle is the jewel in the borough’s crown and it is beyond belief that anyone would deface it in this way. This latest incident has caused inestimable damage to the keep and a team of specialist cleaners will have to be drafted in yet again to assess the ancient stonework and remove the graffiti.

“We are determined to recover the costs for rectifying the damage and are asking anyone with information to do the decent thing and step forward.”

If you have information about the incident, call the police in confidence on 101 citing the log number LC-20211001-0568.