Members of Trowbridge’s Royal British Legion are appalled after the gates of the town’s war memorial were vandalised yesterday.

Two metal poppies have gone missing from the gates around the war memorial, in Trowbridge Park, which is currently being renovated, and it appears that they have been knocked off with force.

Workers carrying out the renovation at the site said a third poppy has now been taken although it is believed this might have been by a Wiltshire Council worker to help with getting replacements made.

Major Peter Williams, chair of Trowbridge’s RBL, said: “It looks like they have just got a hammer and knocked out the poppies, this is really annoying and very frustrating.

“You would hope people would have a little more respect than to do something as stupid as this. I’m just appalled by this and I think it is utterly disgraceful. I would like the person who did it to come forward and accept their punishment.”

The poppies, part of a competition winning design, for the gates, by St Augustine’s student Louis Williamson, were due to be dedicated on Saturday, October 27 to mark the start of Remembrance Tide.

A three week project renovating and cleaning the town’s war memorial began on Monday aiming to improve the monument in time for this year’s Remembrance Sunday ceremony.

The ongoing work will enhance the appearance of the memorial which was unveiled on August 13, 1921 commemorating the 289 servicemen who lost their lives in the First World War with a further 102 servicemen’s names added after the Second World War.