Vandals have been blasted for leaving offensive graffiti scrawled on a pavement in North Wales.

A resident of Mold in Flintshire, who did not want to be named, told our sister title The Leader he was walking his dog shortly before 8.30am on Wednesday when he spotted the words.

Written near the entrance to Railway Walk, they read: "ALL WELSH DIE OF COVID - SCUM".

The man said he was shocked at the sight, which has since been reported to Flintshire Council and North Wales Police.

He said: "It's not nice to read that - I'm not 100 per cent Welsh myself but I have lived here all my life and I was definitely offended by it.

"I thought to myself - 'who does that?'

"I expect it would be offensive also to people who aren't Welsh.

"I suspect as it targets Welsh people it might have been done by someone from outside the area, but I can't be sure.

"A neighbour told me it wasn't there on Tuesday night, so it must have been done overnight."

Cllr Tim Maunders, whose last day as town mayor was on Wednesday, said: "I've seen the graffiti, and I am just lost for words.

"This was incredibly an offensive, insensitive and disgusting thing to have done. I can't believe that anyone would want to do something like that.

"With the position we're in at the moment, when there are so many people dying - how dare you?

"There's just absolutely no need for that. It's simply horrible."

North Wales Police confirmed to the Leader the matter had been reported to the force.

A Flintshire Council spokesman said: "Following a report from a member of the public the council are dealing with a Graffiti incident in Mold."