VANDALS have destroyed a Hillsborough memorial garden in Port Sunlight.

Memorial stones were thrown across the gardens in the village and decorative balustrades were kicked and smashed during the attack, believed to have taken place during Saturday night and the early hours of this morning.

An estimated £10,000 worth of damage was caused and police are investigating the incident.

Created by Unilever the garden was for staff, who lost loved ones in the Hillsborough disaster 20 years ago, to pay their respects.

Lionel Bolland, from the Port Sunlight Village Trust, told the Globe: "Everybody I've spoken to in the village is deeply upset by this.

"I can't believe how anybody could act in such a base way and can't find the words to describe how despicable this act is.

"Someone was looking at the smashed stones lying on the ground and said to me that they might as well be the 96 who lost their lives in Hillsborough lying there.

"The police have acted sensitively with us on this issue."

Looking to the future, Mr Bolland said: "It's going to cost a lot of money to restore, because the monument features natural stone.

"We need to make sure that it's carefully and sensitively restored."

Wirral Detective Inspector Andy O'Connor said:

"We have no idea what the motive is behind this incident, but we will do all that we can to find the individuals responsible.

"We are looking for help from the people of Wirral, and I would urge anyone with any information, or anyone who witnessed this incident , to contact the police immediately.

"This is a despicable attack on a memorial and the people who carried out this attack have shown complete disrespect for those who lost their lives and their families."

Anyone with information can contact Birkenhead CID on 0151 777 2263, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.