Prince Charles has sent a huge bouquet of flowers and a personal message expressing his 'support and deep sorrow' to a vicar after vandals desecrated a war memorial which the Prince had rededicated just months before.

The figure of Jesus was ripped from an oak cross, its arm torn off and slashed before it was dumped in mud outside St Michael and All Angels church in Cottingley.

The vicar of St Michael's, the Reverend Sue Pinnington today said she was touched the Prince of Wales wrote to her and sent her the flowers.

"It's been such a difficult, upsetting and angry time for the whole community," she said.

"I received a personal letter from the Prince and a beautiful bouquet of flowers and it's very encouraging to know we are in his thoughts.

"He made some lovely and uplifting remarks and I informed the congregation of his letter at the service on Sunday.

"If anything, this act of violence has redoubled our efforts to make this community stronger."

She said youngsters in the village had also come forward to express their anger at the latest attack, which caused about £500 damage.

The church, in Littlelands, also received a huge mailbag of letters and e-mails from across the Bradford district.

"It's lovely to get so much support from people far and wide and obviously this has upset a lot of people," she said.

The memorial, which commemorates the lives of villagers who fought in the Second World War, was replaced after vandals destroyed the previous figure of Christ and used its head as a football.

Prince Charles personally arranged to attend the rededication service in September, at which he condemned the "shallow-rooted" vandals.

Councillor Margaret Eaton (Cons, Bingley Rural) and leader of Bradford Council, said she was looking at securing mobile cameras for the village centre to help to crack down on vandalism.

"I'm also looking at a village clean-up to try to restore people's confidences," she said.

"The community is deeply hurt and something needs to be done to lift people's spirits."

PC Martin Preston, of Bingley-based Problem Orientated Policing team, said he was investigating the incident which happened last Wednesday night.

"I have spoken to residents and will be liaising with the vicar about it," he said.

The figure has been sent to manufacturers and will either be repaired or replaced.