Vandals damage Stonehenge

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

LONDON (AFP) - Vandals used a hammer and screwdriver to vandalise the Stonehenge ancient monument, the first such incident for decades, officials said Thursday.

The night-time attack by two men last week involved the central megalith in the 5,000-year-old ring of standing stones, with English Heritage saying the vandals could have been looking for a souvenir.

A chip of stone about the size of a large coin was removed, while a 2.5-inch long scratch was left on the Heel Stone, at the centre of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, near Salisbury.

"Thanks to the vigilance and quick action of the security team at Stonehenge, very minimal damage was caused," said a spokeswoman for English Heritage.

"A tiny chip was taken from the north side of the Heel Stone with a screwdriver and hammer, but as soon as the two men were spotted by security guards they escaped over the fence and drove off.

"This is now a matter for the police," she added.

A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police said: "Two male offenders were seen disturbing the monument with a hammer and screwdriver... It is believed they could be two men seen acting suspiciously on a previous occasion."

Stonehenge is one of the world's best preserved prehistic monuments. In around 2,600 BC, 80 giant standing stones were arranged on Salisbury Plain, where there was already a 400-year-old stone circle.

Around two centuries later, even bigger stones were brought to the plain.

Today, only 40 percent of the originals remain. But around 850,000 visitors per year come to marvel at the 17 stones which are still intact.

The biggest stones came from a quarry some 18 miles away, while some of the others come from a range of hills in south-west Wales -- a 150 mile journey.

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[almaty 19]

hooligans...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

good, it was a monument celebrating homosexuality

[almaty 19]

good, it was a monument celebrating homosexuality

and paganism

[Sheriff Uling 3]

good, it was a monument celebrating homosexuality

and paganism

The mentioning of paganist homosexuals... I wonder will this render a response from the gay support group on VJ. Hmmm...

Edited May 22, 2008 by Sheriff Uling

[almaty 19]

and illegals

and tree hunging global warming cry babies

[jundp 191]

and illegals

and tree hunging global warming cry babies

You called?!

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

good, it was a monument celebrating homosexuality

maybe large upright stones might make you think of that, but i doubt very many others

[pedroh 21]

hahahaha

gay pagans

[Welshcookie 17]

Damn souvenir hunters .... we were there last month and the guide said that up until the late 1960's the local Smithy did a roaring trade selling chisels and hammers to the tourists making a visit to the stones

[pj1959us 0]

I hope Woodhenge is alright!

PJ

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I brought home a chip of limestone from the pyramids in Egypt. Waleed said that the government brings in limestone rocks and chips and scatter them everywhere at the pyramids so ppl can take those home. lol Edited May 23, 2008 by Olivia*

[Scott & Lai 12]

I brought home a chip of limestone from the pyramids in Egypt. Waleed said that the government brings in limestone rocks and chips and scatter them everywhere at the pyramids so ppl can take those home. lol

I love it! That's brilliant!

[Nagishkaw 510]

Blame the pagan homosexual zionists wielding golf clubs .

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Blame the pagan homosexual zionists wielding golf clubs .