ARTWORK on a York railway bridge has been vandalised just days after its completion - leaving locals distraught.

Network Rail commissioned artist Emma Garness, 47, to brighten up the area in Love Lane and organised a project to make people think twice about targeting the sites. The Love Lane art work included detailed mallard ducks, representing the local area and nearby nature reserve at Hob Moor.

Emma said: “It’s so sad to see this has caused such upset among the local people.

“Thankfully, after I’d finished the project, I put a coat of anti-graffiti paint on it just in case it was vandalised, something I am very pleased about.

“But I’m just gutted, but I feel more gutted for the people who are upset. They have to live with it as it’s on their doorstep. When I completed it, there was such a good vibe from all media, and the feeling it gave to local people was great. What’s happened has brought it back down to the levels it was before.”

Barbara Grove resident Luke Symonds, 36, is one of the locals upset with the graffiti, and said: “This was done in broad daylight. The original work was really attractive and obviously took time, and public money, to plan and produce. Without any form of monitoring on the bridge, I fear it will sadly be vandalised over and again.”

“Several residents have pulled together with the help of Cllr Kallum Taylor to lobby network rail and the council to install lighting and CCTV, though their interest appears limited. Often the graffiti is racist and obscene.

“Hundreds of schoolchildren use the bridge every day and, in light of recent tragic events in London, it is a clear worry that such a thoroughfare is totally unmonitored.”

Councillor Kallum Taylor said: “It’s such a shame to see these nonsense tags scrawled over this gorgeous piece of work, especially so soon after it was finished. Hopefully, the anti-graffiti coating will have protected the artwork enough and hats off to the residents who are trying to salvage it.

“I can’t help but think that if this long-neglected bridge was actually lit, which as local councillors we’ve been pushing the council and Network Rail to do for over three years now, then the chances of this happening would be reduced.”

Paul Rutter, route director for Network Rail’s East Coast route, said: “It’s absolutely appalling that Love Lane footbridge in York has been targeted with graffiti yet again, just two weeks after the fantastic artwork was completed.

“After painting over graffiti on Love Lane bridge multiple times, we worked with artist Emma Garness as well as the East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) to brighten up the bridge which has been a hotspot for the crime. Instead of the striking mallard ducks inspired by Hob Moor nature reserve, people in the community are once again faced with the awful mess.”