Last year, Stevenage Borough Council spent around £33,000 tackling graffiti.

"This is money that could be better spent on other services," a council spokesperson said. "Graffiti is a criminal offence, not just a minor visual nuisance."

Just last week, two Stevenage mums complained of graffiti in Meadway play area in Symonds Green and Camps Hill Park in Chells.

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The borough council will deal with graffiti on council-owned and managed property, such as street name plates, litter bins, council-operated car parks and council buildings.

"We will arrange for the removal of the graffiti in a timescale determined by the content, with the highest priority likely to be given to graffiti which is racist or offensive in some other way," explained the council spokesperson.

You can report graffiti online at stevenage.gov.uk/environment/street-care-and-cleaning/graffiti.