A mural vandalised just hours after it had been created by young people, is to be re-painted.

Six youngsters, aged eight to 15, had spent ten days painting sporty pictures on walls previously clad with graffiti at the basketball court, behind the Community Link, Starrgate Drive, Larches, Preston.

But at 7pm on August 18, three hours after the mural was finished, a group of vandals re-sprayed graffiti on the walls.

An anti-graffiti coat had been applied, but takes four hours to dry. Because it was not fully dry, the graffiti is now permanently fixed on the mural.

Julie Bell, chairman of Larches and Savick Community Association, who helped organise the summer holiday project said the wall will now be re-painted again in a few days time.

"We are going to be able to re-do the bad bits, and then we will sit there and watch paint dry to make sure they can't come back and do it again," she said.

Around £600 had been spent on paint and artist Ben Hunt from Preston City Council had helped the children devise the mural.

Mrs Bell said that some of the youngsters had cried when they had seen what had been done to their work.

"It was just devastating. As a mum-of-four it broke my heart to see children cry because of what has been done."

"But we will not be beaten by them, we will re-paint it again and again if we have to, they will not win," she added.

Inspector John Ainsworth of Lea police, said it was a disgusting act on work carried out by children from the community.

l A local 18-year-old man was arrested, quizzed by police, and released on police bail pending further inquiries.