Fundraiser to clean up graffiti

Trustees at Whittington Castle are facing a bill expected to run into thousands of pounds to remove the obscene graffiti daubed on the stonework.

Because the building is an ancient monument, English Heritage is insisting that specialist, restoration experts carry out the work.

Villager, Brenda Smith, who volunteers at the castle, is organising the cheese and wine evening.

There will be a guest speaker, Aaron Dean from antique specialists, Trevannion and Dean, will talk about some of the rare and interesting items that he has sold over the years.

Tickets for the event are £10 to include a glass of wine and cheese and biscuits. They are available from the castle, telephone 01691 662500.

Whittington Castle is run by a community trust on a long lease and following a lottery grant for major works on the building, it now has to be self funding.

Mrs Dean said: "We have had a lot of expense this year from the boiler and the dishwasher breaking down and now we have this vandalism to deal with it.

"The dreadful thing is that the graffiti has to remain there until we have to go ahead from English Heritage to carry out the work."

She said that the trust was appealing for help be it donations or volunteering.