VANDALS have once again sprayed over the word 'cripple' on signs inside a city park.

Cllr Richard Udall condemned the 'mindless' vandalism of the two signs in Cripplegate Park, St John's, Worcester.

The city council spent £550 repairing more than a dozen signs in the park after a similar act in November.

The council estimates that it will cost £300 to fix the two signs damaged in the most recent incident.

Cllr Udall, who represents St John's on the city and county council, said: "Whoever is doing it needs to get a life and stop doing it.

"It would be nice to find the people responsible. Every time they do it, it costs the taxpayer.

"It's money which should have been spent in the park making it an attractive and pleasant place.

"It's a loved and respected park and it's a pity some individuals have taken exception and started causing damage.

"Whatever their motivation is it's unjustified. It's mindless vandalism."

A Worcester City Council spokesman said: "There is a common misconception that the name of the park comes from a gate that stood in this part of Worcester where "cripples" had to assemble to await escort through the city.

"In fact, the appearance of the word “cripple” in the name of the park is not related to people."

The city council is exploring the installation of CCTV cameras to overlook the signs and repairs are expected to take place in the next few weeks.

The spokesman said that when the park opened in 1922 it was named after a road in the area.

The road took its name from "cripple" which meant a twisted street and "gate" which was a synonym for road.

The word cripple, describing a disabled person, was first recorded in literature in 950AD but by the 1970s began to regarded as a derogatory term.