murals depicting Oxford and Botley have been ruined by the graffiti tagger ‘Soak’.

The hand-painted murals in a subway under the A34 in Botley were spoiled by a four foot long multi-coloured signature of the vandal which has appeared in hundreds of tags daubed across Oxford.

North Hinksey Parish Council chairman Briony Newport has called the damage an “affront” to local residents.

Police have said they believe a number of graffiti artists may behind a spate of Soak tags around the city over the last few months.

The popular murals painted by Didcot artist Michael Iddon depict a scene in the city centre street St Giles and the 12th Century St Lawrence Church in North Hinksey.

Mrs Newport said: “This is disgusting. It’s a pity that these beautiful artworks have been ruined.

“This is not like tagging a bare brick wall which is bad enough but these are art scenes which are attractive.

“There have always been bits of written graffiti but nothing so damaging as what has happened now over a couple of the paintings.

“Sadly these people have no taste or appreciation for anything other than puffing up his or her own ego.

“I’m upset about it because we have never seen it so bad.

“This latest damage done to the subway artwork of local places of interest is awful.

“We have had this 20 years now and we have had taglines before but nothing so offensive.”

The graffiti was reported to Botley PCSO Lisa Prime on Saturday, October 2, two days after police arrested a man on suspicion of criminal damage in connection with the graffiti tag.

The 20-year-old was bailed until December 1.

However, police believe there are copy-cat taggers operating with the same tag, and have renewed an appeal for the public to come forward with information.

The murals in the subway near Montagu Road in Botley were first painted in 1989, two years after the subway was built.

Council clerk Alan Stone said: “The bill will be picked up by the Highways Agency but the cost to the community of this is astronomical and comes at the expense of money which could be spent on more useful activities.

“Removing that sort of stuff is not easy.”

Oxford City Council currently spends more than £100,000 every year cleaning up graffiti.

Highways Agency spokesman James Wright said: “We will come out and see how bad this graffiti is.”

Pc Peter Ciechan said: “We have arrested an individual in relation to graffiti tagging in Oxford recently, and are actively investigating other possible offenders.”

Call Pc Ciechan on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 if you have any information.