Racist vandals have carved a swastika and highly offensive words into a much-loved coastal landmark.

Police are investigating the sickening criminal damage at Reculver Towers in Reculver Lane, near Herne Bay.

The twin towers at the seafront location can be seen for miles around the surrounding area and help navigate boats and ships at sea, according to English Heritage.

It is the site of an early Roman fort and later became an Anglo-Saxon monastery before becoming a church.

Although much of the site has been damaged by coastal erosion, the twin towers and some of the remains of the Roman fort remain.

Reculver city councillor Rachel Carnac (Con) has slammed the vandals for targeting the much-loved building with the symbol.

"It’s horrendous on anything but also because it is an amazing historic building," she said.

"The new work English Heritage has completed, someone has scraped over.

"They did a lot of work on restoring and strengthening the front of the towers.

"It is a hate crime and it is unfathomable that anybody could do something like that.

"It looks like a place that people carve names into the brickwork and I don’t understand why they have to damage a beautiful historic building."

The damage was reported to have taken place on February 7.

Police have since launched an appeal for information.

And it appears somebody has since added lines to the swastika carving to disguise the offensive symbol.

Cllr Carnac added: "Hopefully there is some footage of people around.

"There does seem to be an increasing problem of anti-social behaviour which we don’t need because we want to encourage people to go and visit.

"But I’m glad police are taking it seriously.

"Obviously people are doing graffiti and carving on the brickwork but there have been motorcycles and rally-riding round the grassy areas there."

But despite the "awful" vandalism, Cllr Carnac said there are "good things happening in Reculver".

"They are starting on the Changing Places toilet which opens up facilities to a much wider population," she said.

"There are also some investment and upgrades in the children's play areas."

An English Heritage spokesperson said “We are appalled by this disgraceful act of vandalism, which has occurred at Reculver Towers and which we deem to be both a heritage and a hate crime.

"We have alerted Kent Police and are supporting them in their investigations.

"The 12th century Reculver Towers is one of English Heritage’s many free to enter sites and has recently undergone a conservation project.

"The graffiti will require specialist removal and as a charity it is extremely disappointing that we will have to direct our limited resources towards undoing this act of vandalism.

"We are appalled by the hateful and discriminatory nature of the crime and have zero tolerance of these views or behaviours at any of our sites."

Officers are investigating the incident and are appealing for anyone with information to call police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/25884/22 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or complete the online form.