Former mayor angry at decision to stop having a year-round wreath at Rugby war memorial because vandals kept ripping them down

A former mayor of Rugby has blasted the council's decision to stop having a year-round wreath on the war memorial gates at Whitehall Rec.

Laurie Wright told the Advertiser he was angered and disappointed when the borough council began only having a wreath fitted at the gates on set occasions.

A spokesperson for Rugby council said: "We no longer have wreaths placed at the War Memorial all year round as the wreaths were repeatedly torn down from the gates by vandals.”

Mr Wright he does not feel that instances of vandalism are a good enough reason to not have a wreath on display all through the year.

He said: "They told me it's because of vandalism but I don't believe it - if it's a problem then install CCTV.

"All the parish memorials in the area have wreaths on them and I don't hear of them being taken off.

"At Wolston Parish Council we give £500 a year to the Royal British Legion to fund wreaths - it we can do that then the borough council can sort this out.

"You think about what those people went through all those years ago and it looks like we don't care."