Face mask placed on Stoke-on-Trent war memorial causes division

A tattooist, who climbed on a Stoke-on-Trent war memorial to place a mask on the face of a solider has generated divisive views for his actions.

Ross Johnston said he came up with the idea on a walk to visit his mum who he has been checking on during lockdown. He says he intended to lift spirits and meant no disrespect.

Mr Johnston from Fenton insists he holds those who paid the ultimate price fighting for their country in the highest regard.

The 35-year-old said: "I walk past to go and check on my mum and I sawit and just thought it would be fun if that geezer had a mask on. I suppose it's sort of like, they protected us so we're protecting him. So I just went up there, climbed up and put a mask on him.

"I put a post on Facebook and it got loads of likes but two peoplecommented saying 'isn't that a war memorial?' implying disrespect.

"I have family who've served in the forces and I think they'd be almost guaranteed to find it funny. There's no disrespect intended."

Ross said he walked passed recently and saw that the memorial had gained a lot of attention as "loads" of people stopped to take photos.

However, local Councillor Paul Shotton wasn't sure everybody would seeit as a lighthearted stunt.

He said: "I suppose that is one way of looking at it but if he's donethat in a lighthearted manner we've got to ask if there's any damagedone."

He went on to say that vandalism to the war memorial in Fenton happened not that long ago and this sort of behaviour could cause that to happen again.