Plans to put railings around Sheffield's vandal-hit Mi Amigo memorial rejected

The Mi Amigo memorial in Sheffield was recently targeted by vandals who smashed plant pots and ripped up flags in the early hours of the morning.

The latest attack at the monument sparked outrage from Sheffield residents and BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker, who has championed the humbling efforts of Tony Foulds, aged 84, who has regularly taken care of the memorial in the park since the US B-17 flying fortress aircraft named ‘Mi Amigo’ crash-landed in the woods 77 years ago.

Since the incident, there have been calls from residents to put up railings around the memorial and Tony himself has made a plea to Sheffield City Council for CCTV cameras to deter vandals.

However, Sheffield Royal Air Forces Association has rejected the proposal to put railings around the memorial and will not consider moving it to a safer site after discussing the matter at a committee meeting.

A spokesperson for Sheffield RAFA said: “Following the recent vandalism to the Mi Amigo memorial Sheffield RAFA, after discussing the matter at a committee meeting, rejected the proposal to put railings around the memorial or even moving it to a safer site following at least three acts of vandalism over the years.”

The memorial consisting of a boulder donated from a local quarry and two brass plaques was installed on November 30, 1969, after Bert Cruse of Sheffield RAFA initiated fundraising to erect a memorial to the crew of Mi Amigo.