A stone pillar next to Haworth's war memorial has been damaged.

The flat stone top of the pillar, next to the steps leading up to the structure, was wrenched loose and toppled to the ground.

The memorial commemorates local people who were killed in the First and Second World Wars.

Haworth's branch of the Royal British Legion closed down last year due to lack of members. But ex-Haworth branch member Edgar Bottomley, 83, who served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War, said the damage was "shocking".

"It's awful but it just seems to be the way of the world," he said. "We had railings put around it to stop this kind of thing happening, but obviously it hasn't worked."

Oakworth resident John Seymour, who photographed the damage, voiced his anger at whoever was responsible.

"I was just astounded. It is a big stone and to push it off must have taken quite some effort," he said.

Councillor Peter Hill, chairman of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council, said the extent of the damage suggested it may well have been caused by a vehicle collision.

Cllr Hill said: "I went down to have a look at it and I reckon a lorry had done this.

"A lot of people who died in the wars still have relatives living here and for them it's the only memorial they've got, so it's a sensitive area."

But a spokesman for Bradford Council said a repair team that had examined the site suspected vandals were to blame.

He added that workmen began repairing the damage on March 26 and completed the job at the end of last week. He said: "They don't think this was caused by a vehicle as there is no trace of broken glass or streaks of paint."