Vandals who daubed Oxfordshire’s prehistoric White Horse chalk monument with spray paint have been described as mindless.

The eye and parts of the head of the 374ft hill figure near Uffington were painted purple, inset, on Thursday, June 3.

A banner left at the scene read: “Fathers 4 Justice stop the secret family courts.”

Tonight, Richard Henderson, the National Trust’s general manager for Oxfordshire, said: “We are appalled by this act of mindless vandalism to one of the country’s most famous ancient monuments.

“It is particularly sad as only last weekend members of the public helped re-chalk the horse as part of a traditional community volunteering event.”

Police were on the scene yesterday to help repair the damage.

Sgt Steve Clark said: “We were able to re-chalk it and rub it out.

“It was a mindless act of criminal damage to an ancient, national monument.”

Chairman of Uffington Parish Council Graham Banks said: “The horse has been looked after for 3,000 years and it is not for mucking about with. ”

The original Fathers 4 Justice pressure group dissolved last year. A spokesman from New Fathers 4 Justice denied knowledge of the incident.