Eccleshall Show signs are targeted by vandals

Signs advertising a show on the Shropshire border have been damaged by vandals.

The signs were on the main road between Stafford and Eccleshall and were promoting the Eccleshall Show near Newport, which will take place on September 1.

But vandals smashed through two of the signs some time between Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Edward Lambert, of the Eccleshall Show Society, said the show is organised by volunteers and donates its profits to charities.

"Publicity is an expensive commodity, but without it nobody knows the event is on. We invested in a number of new signs this year. The ones damaged cost £25 each and we can only estimate the negative impact it has on spreading the word about the show," he said.

Society chairman Robert Cartmail said despite the setback, he was still hopeful that the show would be successful.

"For the past 10 years we have seen the show grow and we have now reached the point where we have to improve the arrangements for our exhibitors and for our increasing number of visitors," he said.

"The equestrian section continues to expand, demand for trade stand space continues to increase and the society has res-ponded by increasing the overall show area."