A statue of the Queen has been defaced with graffiti months after it was unveiled in what has been described as a “mindless, criminal act".

The £225,000 landmark in Gravesend, which was revealed to the public in July, has had the word "parasite" sprayed across the bottom of the sculpture.

The figure in St Andrews Gardens was designed to celebrate our longest-reigning monarch.

The graffiti, scrawled in red paint, has since been covered up with plastic.

It is the second time it has been vandalised since its unveiling, with a prankster placing a large orange cone on the Queen's head in July.

It was sculpted by Douglas Jennings, who also created the memorial statue of Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujii, in the same gardens.

Local businesses all chipped in to fund the cost of the bronze statue.

Gravesham Borough Council leader David Turner, who was at the unveiling earlier this year, called it a “mindless, criminal act".

He said: “We are extremely disappointed that someone has vandalised the plinth that the Queens Statue stands upon.

“It is a mindless criminal act and we have passed the information to the police who are investigating it.

“We are currently waiting for the professional stone mason that installed the plinth to advise us of the best way to remove the graffiti without damaging the beautiful Portland stone.”

Debbie Rowley posted on Facebook: "I just knew this would happen but didn’t think so soon.

"Surely CCTV on it, as must of cost thousands?"

Bill Shepard added: "Whether or not you like the Queen there is no excuse for wanton damage."