Police question girls after Kat Copeland postbox vandalised (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Police question girls after Kat Copeland postbox vandalised

2:49pm Thursday 9th August 2012 in News

TWO girls are to be questioned by police following the vandalism of a post box painted gold in honour of the North-East’s first ever female gold medalist.

The postbox on the Rings Road at Ingleby Barwick was painted gold on Sunday after 21-year-old local girl Kat Copeland, pictured left, won the gold medal in the lightweight double women’s sculls.

It has become a tourist attraction with hundreds of people being photographed by the box.

However sometime overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday the box was vandalised. Initials and the word ‘zulk’ were scratched into the box with a penknife or screwdriver.

The Royal Mail moved quickly to repair the damage yesterday.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “We were made aware of the Olympic gold post box having been vandalised by a member of the public. Two girls aged 11 and 15 from outside of the area are believed to be responsible and arrangements are being made by police to speak with them.”