VANDALS who destroyed speed campaign signs in have been branded “mindless morons”.

Almost all the signs for the 20’s Plenty campaign pushing for a lower speed limit in Broadwindsor have been damaged or defaced.

But mother-of-two Susanna Newall, who is heading the campaign for a 20mph limit says the village is backing the “People Power” campaign and believes one person may be responsible.

Local businessman Malcolm Heaver, who has helped fund the signs, is furious at the destruction, which has left all but two of the signs in tatters and needing replacements.

“I would like to thank the mindless morons who have made it their business to destroy the signs and I have reported this to the police who have taken a very dim view of this act of criminal damage.

“I doubt that whoever did it will be reading this, but I wonder if they know or care that by reducing the speed limit by half it would reduce the kinetic energy that kills or injures people by a factor of four.

“Broadwindsor has few pavements and I am concerned for our older residents and the mothers and children walking to school who have little or no protection. “We are not interfering busybodies, but people who care for their society, both young and not so young.

“More signs will be placed and the perpetrators will be caught if they carry on with this mindless act.”

Mrs Newall stressed that the campaign has attracted well over 140 signatures on a petition and has the support of the parish council and local MP Oliver Letwin.

Based on the slogan ‘20’s Plenty for Us’, the campaign has seen all the children at Broadwindsor Primary School kitted out with special high- visibility jackets.

The closure of the Beaminster tunnel has forced more traffic through the village as cars and HGVs use the route to cut through into Somerset.

“My feeling is that the village is very supportive of the campaign,” said Mrs Newall. “Whoever is doing this is just one or two disgruntled individuals.

Dorset Police said the criminal damage had been reported and urged anyone with information to call 101 quoting crime number C13DO23894.