Police in Cheltenham are trying to find out how the war memorial in Prestbury was destroyed.
A dog walker reporting a woman taking a picture of the memorial with two men at around 11.25pm on Friday.
When he returned a short time later, he found the Cotswold stone memorial had been knocked over and was smashed into pieces.
House to house inquiries are now underway to find out how the memorial was damaged and police are appealing for anyone who saw what happened or has any information to come forward immediately.
Local Police Sergeant Mark Stephens said: “At this stage it is unclear how the memorial was damaged. However, this will have a significant impact on not only the residents of Prestbury but also the wider Cheltenham community.
“It is particularly poignant as we are so close to Remembrance Sunday when a great many people attend the Prestbury service held at the memorial to honour those who have fallen in service of our country.
“The community can be assured that I will ensure every possible line of enquiry is fully investigated to determine how this damage happened and if it were malicious, to bring those responsible before the courts."
Anyone with information is urged to call the new non-emergency number 101, quoting incident 590 of October 7.
Alternatively, you can also give information anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
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