VANDALS have been slammed for damaging a seafront wedding gift just hours after it was put in place.

Relatives of a newlywed couple sponsored a major revamp of seafront flowerbeds on Marine Parade East as a special gift to the bride and groom.

Roses and other marital-themed flowers were planted in the area by the end of Lancaster Gardens, with wooden obelisk structures installed as the flowerbed centrepieces.

Work was completed on Wednesday by Tendring Council staff.

But they returned the following day to find one of the obelisks had been broken by mindless vandals.

Council seafront boss Nick Turner said: “This was a special and thoughtful wedding gift for a couple who enjoy walking along the seafront.

“Relatives approached the council to ask if they could sponsor the improvements to the beds as a gift and a plaque is to be placed there to mark the project.

“Yet within 24 hours of the scheme being completed someone has come along and, for no reason that I can think of, decided to ruin one of the structures. “There is absolutely no gain to them whatsoever and it is just mindless and wanton vandalism of the worst kind and I am appalled by it.”

Those who had paid for the work will be told of the damage and the council is to look at replacing the wooden obelisks with metal structures for the roses to grow against.

Mr Turner added: “It never ceases to amaze me what some people will do to spoil other’s pleasure and we will now have to resort to something stronger so this does not happen again.”