Historic England has vowed to work closely with Avon and Somerset Police in a bid to catch the vandals who have defaced the Hood Monument.

Representatives from the public body that cares for the country's historic environments have said they are saddened by the vandalism attack on the monument in between Butleigh and Compton Dundon.

At some point over the last few days, someone has spray painted a picture of the cartoon cat Garfield on to the base of the monument with the message "Garfield says stay at home".

Mark Harrison, Historic England's head of heritage crime strategy, said: "We will be working closely with Avon and Somerset Police to identify the offenders and bring them to account."

The Hood Monument is listed as Grade II*, which means it is among the most significant listed structures in England.

Simon Hickman, South West development advice team leader for Historic England, said: "It was built around 1830 to commemorate the life of Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, who led a number of Royal Navy campaigns during the latter part of the 18th century.

"We are saddened to hear the monument has been vandalised. It is part of our national story, and deliberate damage like this doesn't just harm to the historic fabric but can also affect local character and civic pride.

"Although we are currently unable to make a site visit due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, Historic England will provide advice and expertise to assist with any technical queries to make good the damage."