A CONTROVERSIAL tourism sign has been vandalised just weeks after councillors criticised how much it had cost.

The incident follows the revelation that the six Route to the Hills signs across Malvern cost an 'unbelievable' £27,350.

The sign, in Priory Park, appears to have the word "Never" scrawled across it.

Police say they are investigating the damage and it could be linked to the crime spree overnight on Saturday.

However, a Malvern town councillor claims that the £5,000 sign, in Priory Park, Malvern, may have been vandalised because of its unpopularity.

Cllr Jeremy Thomas said: "If the signs are going to be vandalised it shows people don't want them.

"I would never condone vandalism. I'm sure it may not have had political intent.

"It may be mindless yobs but it is something that's going on that's not popular with people that know about it.

"[The project] is not something that I feel the town will ever own in their heart.

"People just see that so much money is being wasted and then they see they can't afford to do this or that."

The Great Malvern: Route to the Hills project received a £482,800 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The aim of the project is to guide people from Great Malvern Station, through the town and to the hills.

It has emerged that Malvern Hills District Council has provided the Route to the Hills project with £22,000 in capital investment.

Cllr Thomas said: "That's roughly a pound per council tax payer, there's something like that number of households in Malvern.

"I think it's a mindset of 'it's not my money so go ahead with it'. The trouble is, it is your and my money."

The councillor added that people are frustrated with the district council's cost cutting measures, such as cutting weekly black bag collections and moving the Tourist Information Centre.

"The project has been going for years and in my view will achieve nothing," he said.

Phil Merrick, head of economy and communities at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "There’s no evidence to support the claim the sign was targeted as some kind of protest.

"Even if it was, should we remove every bus shelter, bench and other piece of street furniture that is vandalised?

"There is no excuse or justification for vandalism, it’s as simple as that.

"We understand the vandalism caused to the sign was one of a number of incidents reported on that night.

It’s obviously very disappointing and we would urge anyone with any information to contact police by calling 101."

The signs are located across across Malvern, in Station Gardens, on the corner of Avenue Road and Albert Road North, in Priory Park, Belle Vue Island and at the entrance to Rose Bank Gardens.

The Route to the Hills project has been awarded a £483,000 grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund, £90,000 in section 106 developer contributions, which are distributed by the district council, £22,000 from Malvern Hills District Council capital investment, £3,000 from the Severn Waste Environmental Fund and £85,000 in volunteers' time.

A district council spokesman said they would not have received lottery funding without making some investment.

Volunteers' time was calculated in line with Heritage Lottery Fund value guidelines and does not involve the exchange of any money.

Anyone with information about the vandalism can call 101 quoting incident number 86s of February 25.