Mindless vandals have scrawled graffiti over one of Yorkshire's best loved beauty spots.

Shocked walkers on Ilkley Moor have discovered that ancient rocks have been defaced by louts.

The hooligans have used white gloss paint to leave their mark between the Cow and Calf and the White Wells.

And they have defaced an earlier carving of a deer on one specimen.

Local councillors and walkers have expressed their disgust at the senseless vandalism.

Coun Brian Mann said he had not personally seen the graffiti but would be raising the issue with his colleagues on the council, and he urged everyone to be vigilant.

He said: "It is nasty and cowardly. What do they hope to achieve?"

He said graffiti on the moor would have a massive impact, and he stressed: "It is something we are going to stamp down on."

Coun Mann said thankfully vandalism did not appear to be a persistent problem.

He added: "I think more people should report these kinds of things if they see them happening - and certainly they should bring it to our attention."

Coun Anne Hawkesworth said the graffiti had not been brought to her attention but she was planning to look into it.

She said people tended to respect the area, and but added: "Obviously it would be quite disturbing if the vandalism got too much.

"It is quite incredible that someone had trailed white paint up there."

Richard Perhim, a spokesman for Bradford Council's countryside department said the reports of graffiti would be investigated.

He said: "It comes round every now and again but it is usually not too bad up there."

He said masonry paint would be used to cover the graffiti.

"We have tried using removal stuff in the past - but it doesn't work particularly well," he said.

"The rock is quite coarse so it is easier to paint over it."