‘Mindless idiots’ have ruined a memorial set up for a popular man found dead in a river.

Floral tributes left for Mark Worsfold and tied to railings on the corner of East Hill and Mace Lane in Ashford, can now be found lying in the stream below.

Some of the heads of the flowers also appear to have been torn off and are scattered on the pavement.

Another bunch was discovered in a tree above.

The disruption to the memorial is believed to be the work of vandals.

Andy Clark, a friend of Mr Worsfold said: “I along with many others was saddened to see that the floral tributes and cards, left in memory of Mark Worsfold, have been destroyed.”

He called the suspected vandals “mindless idiots” and believes they struck twice.

He added: “They destroyed some of the tributes at some point Friday night into Saturday, then returned on Saturday night into Sunday, to destroy other tributes.

“Flowers and cards with messages were torn up and thrown into the river, or thrown into trees. Very sad as this has happened just a few days before his funeral (Tuesday).”

Mr Worsfold, a mechanic, was found in the River Stour in Ashford on the morning of Sunday, February 21.

Emergency crews, including police, paramedics and the water safety unit, were all called to East Hill, after a passer-by saw a body in the stream.

Officers cordoned off the road between the Star Inn pub and the corner of Mace Lane while divers entered the river.

Mr Worsfold, 50, of Kingsnorth Road, South Ashford, was pulled from the water and his death was confirmed by paramedics at 10.45am.

Police say it is not being treated as suspicious however.

At the opening of his inquest last month, it was revealed that the results of his post mortem are still “pending analysis”.

It was adjourned until a date later this year.