HIGHWORTH residents are being urged to shop the town's mystery graffiti tagger to the police.

The tagger has hit about 20 buildings in the town in the past three days.

Buildings around St Michael's Church have been targeted, as have doors and walls in the alleyway from the churchyard to High Street.

Police have been unable to decipher the hip-hop style white and silver moniker.

Now officers want residents to identify the culprit. Calls can be made anonymously.

PC Karl Dolder, of Highworth police, said the offender would be charged with causing criminal damage.

"Whoever is doing this is committing a criminal offence as well as making a mess of the town," he said.

"We are urging people to give us information about the offender.

"They can do this anonymously if they wish. All information will be treated in confidence."

The 15th century St Michael's Church, has been hit by graffiti in the past.

Churchwarden Peter Hinton said: "We already have graffiti sprayed on the church rooms' door.

"In the past we have managed to get it off but it just keeps coming back. It destroys the character of the churchyard and is very unpleasant.

"We are investigating the possibility of using anti-graffiti paint."

The church has also suffered from vandalism recently.

Earlier in the year, yobs smashed lighting bollards, which cost hundreds of pounds to replace.

Mayor Gordon Jefferies urged townsfolk to help catch the tagger.

"We need to stop this now, and I hope anyone with information about the person doing this contacts the police as a matter of urgency," he said.

Tamash Lal