A vandal with a penchant for chess has been responsible for graffiti in Devizes town centre.

Chess pieces have been spray painted on to walls and posts and police are appealing for information to catch the offender.

Police are aware of four locations where the graffiti is and all are thought to have been caused between Monday May 19 and Tuesday May 20.

On a post in Couch Lane near to the rear yard of Charles S. Winchcombe & Son funeral directors, three black chess pieces, including a knight, have been sprayed on to a white background.

At Town Bridge, in Northgate Street, two black pawns have been sprayed on to the wall at the top of the steps to the Kennet and Avon Canal while a black knight has been sprayed on to a wall at Prison Bridge in Bath Road.

The Wadworth Brewery building was also targeted by the vandal with a black rook sprayed on to a white background on the side of the main building in Northgate Street.

PCSO Jemma Butcher, of Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We have no idea why they are painted like this at this time and we would like to know if anyone has heard or seen anything in connection with this criminal damage.

"Anyone who has seen or heard anything in relation to this should contact 101.”

Funeral director Charles Winchcombe said: “I always think it’s a great pity when people do graffiti.

"It causes someone expense - probably the ratepayer - and I don’t see the point. What on earth this particular graffiti is about, I have no idea.”

Nigel Carter, Devizes town councillor for north ward, said: “There was similar graffiti stencilled on to Town Bridge advertising a festival in another part of the county, Moonfest, and these are dubious additions of a questionable quality. They are of no artistic merit.”