Margaret Thatcher: Police release CCTV footage after red paint thrown at former prime minister's statue in Grantham
The first female prime minister was born in the Lincolnshire town, but nine years after her death she remains a divisive figure.
Friday 3 June 2022 17:08, UK
Police have released CCTV footage of two people after a new statue of Margaret Thatcher was vandalised.
Red paint was thrown on the statue of the former prime minister in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and a hammer and sickle was spray-painted on a nearby fence.
The individuals' faces cannot be seen clearly but police released the released the video in the hope someone might recognise their clothing, build and gait.
Lincolnshire Police said: "One of the people pictured was dressed all in black clothing which had white stripes running from the waistline to the knee on both legs, and was wearing a face covering.
"The other individual was dressed in dark clothing with a hood, a white coloured face covering, dark shoes with a red Nike motif and white soles."
The damage was caused at about 11.10pm on Saturday 28 May.
Anyone who witnessed the incident on St Peter's Hill is asked to come forward, and officers would especially like to talk to a cyclist who passed by at about the same time.
Despite the damage, the statue to the UK's first female prime minister was officially unveiled on Tuesday.
It was erected in Mrs Thatcher's home town after plans to place it in London were rejected.
The statue sits on a 3m-high plinth and is covered by CCTV surveillance.
A man was fined £90 last month for egging the statue hours after it was installed.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote incident number 488 of 28 May; email force.control@lincs.police.uk; or anonymously via Crimestoppers website or on 0800 555 111.