MUSLIMS have been targeted by racist graffiti scrawled along an underpass in Gorse Hill.

And it remained on show for at least three days before being removed.

Two swastikas and a message reading ‘Swindon is not for u Muslims’ had been sprayed in red across the pavement and walls of the subway at the end of Tydeman Street.

Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Police were first called about the incident yesterday morning and acted to promptly to have it removed, but one resident said they saw it as early as Saturday.

“I would hope it’s kids if it’s going to be anyone,” said Karl Perrett, 28, of Tydeman Street.

“It’s one of those moments you don’t forget when you see it. I thought about ringing the council. Racism is disgusting, horrible.

“It’s upsetting because it’s a nice street and you get a lot of people walking through there from different cultures.

“It was targeted, definitely. I feel for anyone whose discriminated in any way, especially in the street like that.”

Police launched an appeal for information from the public yesterday and have increased patrols around Gorse Hill in a bid to reassure residents.

Although graffiti has appeared around the area in the past, police and residents say they have never known something so malicious and targeted to have been daubed on a public surface.

The subway runs underneath the A4311 between Gorse Hill and Kembrey Park.

There were marks left yesterday where the paint has been pressure washed from the pavement, though a red outline remains.

“This occurred in the underpass at the back of Tydeman Street. I understand, from speaking to Swindon Borough Council, they were aware of it,” said Sgt Gemma Vinton, of Wiltshire Police.

“We are issuing a witness appeal and this is being dealt with as a racial incident.

“It’s very unusual for us to get graffiti of that nature. It’s not something I am aware of us having in the Gorse Hill area.

“I believe it’s a very rare occurrence.

“It’s something that’s concerning from a police perspective and we want to catch up with whoever is responsible.

“As a racially aggravated incident it is something taken very seriously by police and we are dealing with it at the moment.

“We are also going to be upping police patrols in the community for community reassurance and also make ourselves available to people who might be witnesses.”

Doreen Frankland, 73, of Tydeman Street, said: “Graffiti is around this area. It’s all around the garages.

“I reckon it’s awful, especially with people having new garages around here.”