SEX graffiti, racial slurs and phone numbers of alleged paedophiles have been scrawled on a subway mural.

The subway, off Bath Road, Melksham, has been covered with obscene graffiti, destroying the artwork designed by George Ward School pupils six years ago.

Mayor Vic Oakman has labelled the vandalism a disgrace and has put the subway at the top of his clean-up list for next year.

He says people walking through the subway would be disgusted by the graffiti, which has included Nazi Swastikas and descriptions of graphic sexual acts.

Schoolchildren could be called in to repaint the underpass if town councillors allocate money for the project.

Town caretakers repeatedly scrub the walls but it is claimed the amount of graffiti has gone too far.

Cllr Vic Oakman said: "I think it is horrible for people to walk through. We will target it as part of a clean-up campaign in the new year.

"We will try and get the schools involved again.

"The graffiti is always bad, we need special paint to be used which can be cleaned.

"There have been Swastikas and adverts for sex acts. It is quite upsetting for the people who took the time to paint the murals.

"A lot of money is floating around with cash from the Five Towns Initiative and a Regional Development Agency grant."

Art teacher Madge Shaw, of George Ward School, said children painted the underpass as part of an activity week.

She said the school would get involved in the project again.

"About 50 children were involved in the painting which took about three days.

"It was a community project. I am sure if those involved saw this had happened to their work they would be upset.

"Graffiti has been going on for some time there but it has got worse lately.

"We would call for something to be done about it. Maybe its time we started on it again.

"I am sure people are shocked by the content so we would back any action to do something about it."

Prisoners from Erlestoke helped prepare the subway by coating the walls with anti-fungicide.