VANDALS tried to disrupt voting for last week’s election of the police and crime commissioner in Ross-on-Wye by daubing the polling station with graffiti.

Between 10.30pm on May 1, and 6am on the morning of May 2, a wall belonging to the town’s bowls club was targeted with a political message that begins with the words ‘Your tax…’

The presiding officer at the polling station for the at the site explained that when staff left the bowls club the previous night the graffiti had not been daubed on the walls.

“But when staff returned in the morning, the message was all plain to see,” said the officer.

While the polling station inspector contacted the elections office about the graffiti, officials from the Ross Bowling Club tried to paint the message out. But despite this, the graffiti was still visible through the newly painted wall.

Contractors Balfour Beatty arrived a short time later and erected a fence and a screen to block out the offending graffiti.

County Councillor Ed O’Driscoll said that he had also spotted the graffiti while out walking his dog before any attempt had been made to remove the vandalism.

He said: “I utterly condone this sort of anti-social behaviour. I sincerely hope that those responsible are caught and duly prosecuted.”

John Campion was duly re-elected police and crime commissioner for West Mercia, with a reduced majority on a low turnout.

Mr Campion said: “I would like to thank communities across the three counties who have once again put their trust in me to deliver a safer West Mercia. I am proud of what I have achieved as your PCC over the last eight years, but I know there’s much more that needs to be done.”

Mr Champion must now produce a new plan setting out strategic aims and priorities for his four-year term in office.