Margaret Thatcher statue in Grantham has been vandalised for a third time

The words "Tories out" has been daubed on the monument's plinth in yellow spray paint. Credit: Twitter: @therealbenno

A statue of Margaret Thatcher in her home town of Grantham has been vandalised for the third time since it was installed a few months ago.

The words "Tories out" has been daubed on the monument's plinth in yellow spray paint.

The £300,000 bronze memorial to the former Conservative prime minister was first targeted just hours after it was erected in May, when a university worker threw eggs at the memorial. He was later fined by Lincolnshire Police.

Less than two weeks later, red paint was thrown at the statue.

A hammer and sickle - a symbol of the Communist Party - was spray-painted on the fence put up to protect it.

As the Conservative Party chooses its new leader, the commemorative monument has once again been the target of vandalism. Credit: Twitter: @therealbenno

As the Conservative Party chooses its new leader, the commemorative monument has once again been the target of vandalism.

No arrests have been made.

The UK's first female prime minister, Baroness Thatcher, was born in Grantham in 1925 and went to school in the market town, where her father was mayor.

The decision to erect a statue to the politician has attracted controversy, with reports suggesting a cup of coffee was thrown over the monument shortly before its unveiling.

The 10.5ft memorial, created by sculptor Douglas Jennings, was offered to South Kestevan District Council after original plans for it to be placed near Parliament were rejected by Westminster Council.

A Facebook group proposing an "egg-throwing contest" was created after the council proposed a £100,000 unveiling ceremony.

A worker removes the lifting straps from the newly installed statue of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. Credit: PA Images

The graffiti has since been removed and in a statement South Kesteven District council said: "While the Council understands the strength of feeling surrounding the memorial, it strongly condemns the actions of those who seek to damage any public property, or otherwise break the law.

"The memorial is monitored by the local CCTV system and any evidence from this will be shared with the police.

"Ongoing maintenance of the memorial is dealt with in the same way as any other monument or public realm asset, which means that associated costs fall under the Council's budget allocation for the general public realm and property assets."

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