VANDALS have targeted East Tilbury war memorial.

They left four slabs – put down last year during a £14,000 refurbishment of the Bata memorial – shattered on the ground and litter strewn around.

Rob Lay, a Chadwell St Mary resident, who attended a rededication service at the memorial in April, came across the broken paving stones on Sunday.

He said: “Shocked and disgusted – that’s how I feel at the sad state of the Bata East Tilbury WorldWar Two memorial.”

Sue Little, a Conservative ward councillor for Bulphan, said: “I’m absolutely disgusted at what has happened down at the warmemorial.”

The Bata Reminiscence and Resource Centre has worked hard to restore the memorial.

The revamp saw new plaques fixed to the memorial, paving around it replaced and the granite stones which make up its structure given a deep clean.