Vandals target city's £7m square

Princess Anne will officially open the Square on 3 April

Vandals have attacked Nottingham's redeveloped Old Market Square just days after it was finished.

The £7m revamp has seen the square levelled out with granite paving, new seating areas and flowerbeds added.

Graffiti has now been daubed on wooden rails surrounding the market square's water feature.

A city council spokesperson described the vandalism as a "nuisance". He said that it had now been removed and a protective coating put on the wood.

'Total nuisance'

Chris Bailey from the city council said: "We've had a big purge on graffiti and virtually eradicated it from the city centre but you do get this silly tagging that we need to keep on top of.

"It's just a total nuisance for us because we have to keep removing it and it's indiscriminate, it can be on city council property and private property as well."

The Princess Royal will unveil a plaque to commemorate the redeveloped public space on 3 April.

The council is also holding various celebrations in March - including a live music concert - to mark the opening of the redesigned square.

Its first slab was laid by New Zealand singer Hayley Westenra in April 2006.