A VANDAL-plagued social club in Canvey could remain covered in graffiti after the council refused to clean it off - because it isn't "racist or rude".

Pensioners who use the Women's Royal Voluntary Service club, based on the George V playing field in North Avenue, have been left fuming after their club building was attacked yet again by spay-painting vandals.

The men and women who use the club, up to three days a week for a social lunch meeting, have become used to seeing the building wrecked by louts.

However, in recent weeks the building has been covered in graffiti and nobody has attempted to clean it off.

Joan Lock, project manager of the centre, said: "The WRVS centre is vandalised nearly every day. The damage to the building causes us the most problems because we have to get that repaired.

"I'm always getting the gutters and drains repaired after they've been ripped off at night."

She added: "We cannot afford to remove the graffiti. I did enquire about how much it would cost and I was told £1,000 because of the brick work.

"We don't have that sort of cash and we would be reluctant to spend it on removing graffiti because it will undoubtedly appear again.

"I asked the council if it would remove it, but I was told the graffiti is not racist or rude so the council has no obligation to remove it."

However, Dave Blackwell, Leader of the Canvey Independent Party, said: "I think it's atrocious that the council has made no attempt to clean the building.

"We all know the WRVS doesn't have the money to do it themselves.

"For the elderly people who use the building and children who play in the George V playing field, it makes the area look really rough.

"If the council puts civic pride at the top of its list of priorities, it needs to look at this building again."

Councillor Ray Howard, chairman of Castle Point's environment committee, said: "The building is privately run and therefore the charity is responsible for its maintenance.

"The council is able to give advice on the removal of graffiti, but unable to remove it on their behalf.

"We can serve a clean up notice, but this is difficult when there is a risk of repeat offences."