A DISPLAY commemorating the lives of 36 men who died during World War One has been vandalised.

The damage was spotted by Jean Scott-Smith, Shap parish council clerk, on Wednesday morning, who was distressed by what she had found.

In the lead up to the centenary of the Armistice the parish council created an installation of 36 poppies and ivy in three wall baskets to represent the fallen in Shap.

They were positioned at Market Cross, the building used as the recruitment office during the war.

But after the display was targeted by vandals, the wall baskets were thrown into the road. One was totally flattened and the contents were strewn over a wide area.

Jean said: “It is distressing to see the installation honouring the fallen being destroyed in this way.”

She added that the installation has attracted a number of positive comments from those in the town.

Further vandalism saw all the notices ripped from the village notice board.

Police investigating the incident are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch.

It happened overnight, sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday and officers say there is suggestion it happened at about 3am.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Police said: “Police were called at 12.35pm on Wednesday to the report of criminal damage and an act of vandalism to a WW1 display at Market Cross, Shap.

“Three metal baskets had the poppies they contained removed and scattered across the road and one of the metal baskets was broken.”

Police are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch by emailing 101@cumbria.police.uk or calling 101 quoting log number 102 of December 5.