A COUNCILLOR'S garden door was vandalised with a political message during the General Election campaign.

Tory Cllr Rebecca Massey received support from her colleagues after vandals sprayed 'dementia tax is a scam' onto her door in Abbey Road, Malvern.

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, offered her sympathies to the councillor after the property was vandalised on Wednesday, June 7.

Mrs Baldwin said: "I particularly feel for one of our councillors whose private property was daubed with political messages.

"I was appalled by the dreadful vandalism carried out on private property during the election campaign, and I am annoyed that shoppers and parents saw offensive words sprayed on our posters.

"We tried hard to remove the offensive material, but the vandals kept coming back."

Tory billboards around the town were also targeted, with vandals replacing part of the word 'Conservative' with a swear word.

Mrs Baldwin added: "There was a vicious and threatening undertone during the election campaign and this extreme language was a serious escalation in the final days before the election.

"We are used to seeing posters damaged and defaced but this was threatening action with criminal intent and must be properly investigated and the perpetrators identified and prosecuted."

Cllr Massey, of Malvern Hills District Council, said she does not think the vandalism has a connection with her role as a councillor.

However Ms Massey's home address is publicly accessible on the district council's website under a list of current councillors.

Michael Hodges, chairman of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association, said the party had to replace two boards outside their office in Worcester Road, Malvern.

He added than a sign in Pickersleigh Road was also vandalised.

"They had graffiti sprayed on them. They were all sprayed with rude words. It's anti-social behaviour and is a poor reflection on political campaigning," he said.

"It's the first time we've seen anything of this nature on our campaigning activities in Worcestershire. It amounts to intimidation.

"It's the aggressive nature of the rude language sprayed on the boards. It's rather sad. I don't want to see this happening in the future."

West Mercia Police said investigations are ongoing into a report of criminal damage at a premises in Worcester Road, Malvern, at 10:30am on Thursday, June 8.

Anyone with information can ring 101 quoting incident number 195s of June 8.