‘SINISTER’ graffiti which references religion, war and song lyrics has blighted a village.

Several spray-painted messages have appeared in Trawden over the past few weeks, councillors said.

The phrase ‘god is war’ was plastered onto St Mary the Virgin Church wall in Burnley Road.

The word ‘BELZEC’, which was the name of a concentration camp during the Second World War was also discovered nearby. This was followed by other offensive graffiti near the war memorial in Church Street.

Another drawing containing the word ‘GOD’ and a triangle, which is believed to mimic Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon album cover, was discovered in Trawden Road on Monday.

PC Nigel Keates said the police were aware of the graffiti and urged anyone with information about who was responsible to come forward.

One resident said people were becoming increasingly annoyed.

She said: “It’s just attention seeking from someone who thinks they are being clever. I wish they would give it up as the quotes mean nothing and it is causing criminal damage.

“It’s a pattern but one only the perpetrator understands as, no one else can make head nor tale of it.

“The triangle in Skipton Road looks like the Pink Floyd’s album cover, but we don’t know what it could represent.

“The perpetrator, should quite frankly quit while they are ahead.”

Under the Criminal Damage Act 1971, those who are caught carrying out acts of graffiti can be fined or be sent to prison if more than £10,000 worth of damage is caused.

Cllr Paul White, who represents the area on Pendle Council, said he was concerned about the markings.

He said: “They are rather sinister, to me this doesn’t look like a couple of kids messing about in the school holidays.

“It’s very bizarre, they all seem to reference either religion or music.

“This is a bad form of anti-social behaviour and it needs to be stopped immediately.”

PC Keates said: “This is not the type of behaviour we expect or accept to happen in a village like this.

“It is expensive and time-consuming to get rid of the graffiti and even when it is removed it spoils the wall or surface it was on as parts are always still visible.

“The longer this goes on for the more likely we will catch them." Call 101.

“We want anyone with information to come forward and contact the police on 101 so we can get this stopped.”