ACTIVISTS of all political persuasions have reported election signs and posters knocked down or stolen from front gardens.

While many blame the damage on drunken hooligans, some believe their signs have been deliberately targeted.

One board, on the corner of St Peter’s Street and North Hill, in Colchester, has had three Conservative posters drawn on or ripped up in the last month.

One elderly Conservative supporter in Shrub End, who did not wish to be named, has been repeatedly targeted since putting up posters on his door and in his garden.

Two have been torn down in a matter of days, while his car has been covered in mud and a tomato thrown at his door.

He said: “It’s nasty really, but I know this happens. It’s probably hooligans when they’re going home.”

Pauline Hazell, a Conservative councillor, said: “He was definitely targeted.

“Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of it going on.

“People say it’s kids and youths, but I feel if it was them, they would vandalise them all – not just Conservative ones.”

Labour supporter Wendy Bailey, of Maldon Road, contacted police after her two Labour placards were ripped down on Friday night.

She said: “I was very disappointed because we put them up last week and on Friday night we had been to a quiz and we came back and both were smashed.

“My roses and front garden were trampled on.”

Two replacement signs have been placed 20 feet up and have been welded together to deter future vandals.

Mrs Bailey said she believed the replacements were the tallest free-standing signs in the UK.

Robin James, another Maldon Road resident, had his Lib Dem poster stolen, but did not report it to the police.

Lib Dem candidate Bob Russell contacted police after a large sign was stolen from a garden in North Station Road, at the Albert Roundabout.

Anyone with information on the North Station Road theft is asked to contact PC Andy Perrins, at Colchester police station, on 0300 3334444.