A vandal has taunted police who painted over graffiti on a Woodstock garage.

Neighbourhood police painted over graffiti on a garage in New Road after it was vandalised in the spring.

But the garage was hit again last month with the tag ‘SODA’.

And a vandal left the sprayed message: “Paint the wall again.”

Pc Gordon Richardson, a member of the neighbourhood team, said: “They are cheeky little devils whoever has done that.”

The officer said graffiti had only become a problem in the historic town in the past year, with double gates to the Blenheim Palace estate in Woodstock Road being hit in March.

He said it was likely to be the work of young teenagers and added there had been another recent incident at the New Road play area.

He said: “It’s something we have never had in Woodstock and this year it’s just picked itself up and we want to try to nip it in the bid.

“Woodstock is a tourist town that is very well looked after by its residents so something like this is a bit of a blot on the landscape.

“This is being done on people’s property at a cost to them, or if it’s on public property then it’s a cost to the district and local councils.

“It’s quite expensive to get graffiti removed.

“It might not be horrible stuff like swear words, but it is unpleasant and something we do not want.

“Fortunately we are not getting it splattered around the town, and it’s not something a lot of people will be aware of.

“It’s just frustrating.”

Town mayor Brian Yoxall said: “It’s unfortunate that some youngsters seem to take advantage of the situation with this graffiti.

“We are doing our best to stop it. PCSOs are patrolling the areas as much as they can.

“It’s unsightly and very regrettable.

“But I think it is a problem that is not only common to Woodstock but other places as well.”