Anger as Portsmouth Naval Memorial at Southsea Common 'used as personal gym'

On Wednesday, the two men were seen at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial in Southsea Common, with a resistance band wrapped between two gaps to workout on.

Caught on camera, the incident has angered residents and veteran organisations alike.

In the video, one man is shown exercising while another confronts the person filming them.

Jay Pycroft, 50 from Old Portsmouth, was going for a walk when he saw things unfold.

He said: ‘I was gobsmacked. I’ve never seen anything like this before.

‘When I approached them, one told me he had served in the armed forces, but if that’s the case there’s no way you would be using the memorial in this manner.

‘It’s disrespectful to our fallen heroes, these men gave their lives for us and people should know better.’

Southsea’s memorial commemorates almost 10,000 naval personnel from the First World War and roughly 15,000 from the Second World War, who were either lost or buried at sea.

In June last year, the war memorial was vandalised just days after the D-Day 75 commemorations.

Last month, security guards were called in to protect the area after yobs defacated on the site.

SEE ALSO: Grieving relatives back new Portsmouth memorial for those who have died from Covid-19

A spokesman for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission said: ‘We are disappointed to see video footage showing misusing of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

‘While we don’t believe any damage was caused, this is not just a Grade I listed monument made of stone and bronze, it’s the spiritual home of nearly 25,000 men and women killed in the World Wars and should be treated with respect.

‘We are proud at CWGC to maintain such an important piece of Portsmouth’s naval heritage and always welcome visitors to come here and pay their respects but we are saddened to see the memorial misused in this way.’

A spokesman for The Royal British Legion added: ‘War memorials honour the unique contribution and sacrifices of the armed forces. They deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.’

An outdoor gym set up by the council is available 650ft away from the memorial.

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