A MEMORIAL to the fallen soldiers of the First World War has had to be removed outside Earlestown town hall after it was vandalised over the weekend.

St Helens Council installed the Silent Silhouette Soldier memorials in every ward of the borough in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary since the end of the First World War.

The total number of military and civilian casualties in WWI was around 40 million, and the silhouettes represent the soldiers who never returned home from the battlefield, walking through town from local train stations.

St Helens Star: The silhouettes were installed to mark the Centenary since the end of the First World War in 2018The silhouettes were installed to mark the Centenary since the end of the First World War in 2018

With Remembrance Day just two months away, the silhouette in Earlestown has had to be removed after someone “tried to snap the head off”.

Donated to St Helens by the Royal British Legion, it is unclear whether another memorial will be put in its place as they do not make the silhouettes anymore.

Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, who represents the Newton ward, said: “The behaviour is a disgusting act of disrespect to our veteran community and those who paid the ultimate price to give us the freedom that some abuse by vandalising these tributes.”

St Helens Star: Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron MBECllr Seve Gomez-Aspron MBE (Image: St Helens Council)

“Remembrance Day is just around the corner, and we know thousands across the borough will turn out to pay their respects.

“The disrespectful minority will not dampen our support for veterans and armed forces.”

Cllr Gomez-Aspron explained that the vandalised silhouette is currently at the property of a local businessman who has offered to try and fabricate a new one.

Merseyside Police have also been informed of the incident.