Vandals have targeted a town's prized mural of the Queen - defacing the monarch with genitalia and a Hitler-esque moustache.

The image of Elizabeth II taking her corgis for a stroll on a hoverboard has been a beloved landmark in Whitstable high street since it appeared there overnight in April 2017.

The monochrome image was sprayed by Catman, an anonymous Whitstable-based street artist who has created several other artworks in the town - such as a stencil of Mona Lisa wearing a thigh-slit dress, and a shanty singer in Harbour Street urging people to "drink local".

The Banksy-style street painter, who keeps his identity under wraps, dubbed his depiction of the Queen “They see me rollin”.

But residents have responded in horror to news the treasured piece of art, loved by locals and visitors alike, has been targeted by vandals.

A Hitler-esque moustache has been scribbled on the monarch's upper lip, while genitalia has been etched around the image.

Catman says he plans to visit the mural to assess whether the damage can be repaired.

"The stencils are no longer in use, so it would have to be repaired by hand - by brush," he explained. "I'll have to see what kind of damage has been done, and if I can repair it."

But the artist says he is surprised the piece has not been targeted before now.

"Once the piece is out there, it's in a public place, and it can happen," he said. "To be honest, it's taken longer than I expected for something to happen to it.

"In the morning, if I'm walking through town and see new tags on the walls, I'm always going down with anticipation of getting towards my pieces, only to see the tags have overlapped onto them.

"These things happen."

Several of Catman's most recent pieces have acted as poignant political and social commentary.

In May, he sprayed an "anti-plastic" image on the side of a charity shop in Whitstable high street.

Entitled Wasted Time, the artwork depicts an hourglass. But instead of sand, it contains a map of the world - which appears to turn into plastic bottles as it trickles down, falling into a large heap below.

In October, he created a Brexit-inspired piece in Hatton Garden, London.

The image, entitled 'Deal or No Deal', shows Boris Johnson holding one of the TV game show's mystery red boxes, containing a broken EU flag.

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