“I UNDERSTAND that children may not know or understand what it is, however that doesn’t excuse the fact that it is there.”

Those are the words of Lauren Wainwright who said action needs to be taken to remove rude graffiti from a wall in a park near Bank Street car park in Highbridge.

The 23-year-old mother of one said she saw the graffiti on a yellow wall at the park, which shows a penis, while she was walking to Asda with her seven-year-old step-son on Friday (March 29). 

She said: “It upsets me that the person that did the graffiti has done what they have done where they have done it.

“The graffiti itself is very common but why do it at a park where children can see it?

“It used to be so different when I was little and used to play there. There have been little bits of graffiti on the roundabout and on the play ship at the park too.

“I took my nieces there in the summer holidays last year and there was penis graffitied on the roundabout.

“They said it was a shame people felt the need to draw them where other children could see them.”

Lauren said she thinks the council needs to do more to get rid of graffiti quickly and residents need to be given more information on how to report graffiti if they see it.

“This is something that has been going on for years and it could be dealt with much quicker,” Lauren said.

“The council could put signs up about antisocial behaviour and a number to call if you have any concerns like the signs at Manor Gardens in Burnham-on-Sea.

“I wasn’t sure who to contact when I saw the graffiti. I posted about it in Highbridge and Burnham Discussion Group and someone said it had been reported. If there had been a sign with a phone number on I could have reported it.”

A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) confirmed the graffiti was reported to them on Friday and said their team would be out there on Tuesday (April 2) to remove it.

“SDC are responsible for removing graffiti from its public buildings and land,” the council spokesman said.

“If the graffiti is of an offensive or racist nature, the council will remove it within 24 hours of being reported. Other non-offensive graffiti will be removed within five working days.

“Where graffiti is reported on private property and structures we will encourage the owner to make arrangements to remove it and can advise of contractors that specialise in this work.

“Alternatively, and only if staff resources permit at that particular time, the council can offer to do the removal work on a rechargeable basis.

“However, in cases where the graffiti is offensive or racist, we will prioritise our resources to ensure its removal as soon as reasonably possible.”