Giants' willy painted purple

Residents living close to the Cerne Abbas Giant are angry with campaigners after the famous landmark was vandalised.

A man from the Fathers 4 Justice group, which campaigns against family law favouring mothers, is thought to be behind the 40ft penis on the National Trust site being painted purple.

The landmark was targeted overnight between Friday and Saturday by someone describing himself as the Westcountry's 'Purple Phantom'.

Cerne Abbas Parish Council chairman Peter Smith said: "This is particularly irritating because it has happened inside the enclosure that protects the giant. The land there is sacrosanct because it is a special site. We don't want people damaging it for obvious reasons."

Written beside the giant were the words Read Family Court Hell' - a reference to a recently published book by Fathers 4 Justice campaigner Mark Harris.

The action follows a rash of purple doors being painted on to the offices of Cafcass, the court welfare service, in the Westcountry in recent weeks. And it is not the first time the Cerne Abbas Giant has been targeted in the name of publicity.

In July cartoon character Homer Simpson was painted next to the giant to promote the new Simpsons film.