A distinctive landmark in the region has been vandalised with political messages amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. 

Graffiti has been spotted on Peel Tower today, Saturday, November 4, reading 'Free Palestine' and 'Abolish the Police'.

Peel Tower was built in 1852 to mark the life of Bury's Sir Robert Peel, founder of the police force and British Prime Minister from 1841 to 1846. 

Standing 128ft high on Holcombe Hill, the tower is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the borough. 

Posting on X, formerly twitter, Cllr Gareth Staples-Jones of Ramsbottom said: "Graffiti on the Sir Robert Peel memorial tower on Holcombe Hill has been reported to our operations team at the council and they’ve been up this morning trying to remove it.

"Int’ affairs to one side, defacing a monument to a man who repealed the Corn Laws, personally invested himself into the humanitarian aid of Ireland, set up The Relief Commission during the Great Famine - is the pinnacle of stupidity.

"Please don’t deface historic monuments." 

The Bolton News: It comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Israel and PalestineIt comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine (Image: Public)

Trevor Davies of Walshaw has spent £6,000 of his own money in recent years to install two cameras atop the tower, allowing residents and visitors in the town centre to see a feed of the stunning views. 

He has also repaired the tower's flagpole. 

Mr Davies said: "I cannot understand the reason that anyone would want to do this graffiti, as our British police force are not connected with the terrible things that are taking place in Palestine and Israel."

The vandalism comes following conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas which started at the beginning of October. 

Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel on October 7, the date of several Jewish holidays, leading to bombings and raids of Palestine by Israeli forces. 

In recent weeks there have been widespread calls for a ceasefire.

Protests have been planned for Armistice Day across the country, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying such a move would be "provocative and disrespectful" and Home Secretary Suella Braverman saying any such protest would be a "hate march".