Vandals graffiti over Weymouth and Portland Marine art trail

Damage was caused to the environmental art trail around Weymouth, which was created by the Weymouth and Portland Marine and Litter Project last year.

The project saw around 13 BT Openreach boxes transform into a striking pieces of art which features nautical scenes as well as landmarks from the area such as the Jubilee Clock and the Portland Bill Lighthouse.

Artwork was vandalised outside Weymouth Train Station (Image: Jane Fuhrmann) Co-founder of the project, Jane Fuhrmann, said she was ‘infuriated’ to come across two of the graffitied boxes, near Weymouth Train Station on King Street, and outside the NatWest bank on St Thomas Street.  They had only recently been completed before they were vandalised.

She said: “Yesterday, I went to check them and I noticed the box with the view of Weymouth had been graffitied.

“It was infuriating to see as just after a matter of weeks ‘Kris’ made a real mess of it and it was disappointing because we do our best to make the project better for everyone in the area."

Art work was vandalised on St Thomas Street (Image: Jane Fuhrmann) After cleaning the first two boxes, Jane noticed graffiti on another box, which was originally painted by a 14-year-old local artist who was ‘so proud’ of her work.

Ms Fuhrmann said: “I went into town and noticed another, and that made me so angry as the defacer had the arrogance to write his Facebook page as though he was signing his words to art.

“It got my goat- I know to expect it at some point, but it’s almost egotistical to think that their work is more important.”

Art work was vandalised on St Thomas Street (Image: Jane Fuhrmann) Ms Fuhrmann went on to say: “The art is from a mixture of professional and amateur but they have one thing in common- they all supported our project and gave their time and talent for it.

“We’re grateful to them for promoting the message of beauty in the environment and the beauty of Weymouth.

“We had a dull area in town and put these beautiful colourful boxes in just for someone to spoil them.”

Ms Fuhrmann added that the incident has 'not been disheartening,' and will not stop the project, adding that she felt for the artists who spent hours creating the works.

The graffiti has since been cleaned, and because all boxes had an anti-graffiti gloss, it was cleaned easily, however it has faded colouring to the artworks.

Mrs Fuhrmann has not spoken with the artists or reported the incident to the police yet.