Angry villagers are calling for CCTV cameras after a war memorial was desecrated, just months after it was rededicated by Prince Charles.

The figure of Jesus was ripped from a wooden cross, its arm torn off and slashed and dumped in mud outside St Michael and All Angels Church, Cottingley.

The Prince of Wales sent a message of support to the village and vicar of the church, the Reverend Sue Pinnington, who discovered the attack on Thursday morning.

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

Cottingley Community Association (CCA) secretary the Reverend Bill Holliday said cameras would help curb vandalism, which cost the church £8,000 and Littlelands residents £14,000 last year.

"Cameras in the centre of the village would be very useful as it is an area targeted by vandals and, sadly, vandalism is a part of life up here," he said.

"The church is in a useful position with regards to the community but the building is vulnerable. It's a great shame to see that some have no respect for the memorial and what is signifies."

CCA vice-chairman Tony Roche, of The Parade Fisheries in The Parade, said the CCA approached Bradford Council for cameras but was told they would be too costly.

"Something has to be done as the mindless minority who are hell bent on destroying people's property shouldn't be allowed to get away with it," he said.

Councillor Simon Cooke (Cons, Bingley rural) said he would be looking into the possibility of obtaining cameras.

"This evil act is a message which says loud and clear there is a problem in Cottingley and we must act on it and see how things can be improved for residents," he said. "In the meantime we could look at getting a mobile camera up there to see if that helps."

A Bradford Council spokes-man said: "We are sorry to hear about the upset caused to people in Cottingley. The requests for CCTV cameras will be dealt with in the normal way during discussions between the police and Bradford Council.

"CCTV cameras are placed according to crime levels in a particular area.

"We would like to thank residents for reporting vandalism to the police and encourage them to feed back any concerns to their neighbourhood forum."