Readers react after men are seen using exercise equipment on Portsmouth war memorial

A man can be seen pulling a resistance band from one of the landmark’s two shelters in the 26-second clip, captured on video by angered passer-by Jay Pycroft, 50.

Readers have reacted more than 280 times and written almost 100 comments since The News’ story about the footage was posted to Facebook at 8am.

It comes after security guards protected the Clarence Esplanade memorial last month when drunks used it as a toilet.

From palpable outrage to shrugged shoulders, here’s how our readers reacted this morning.

:: Craig Davies, from Portsmouth, said: ‘Rather that than people using it as a toilet...let him crack on, he ain't harming anyone.’

:: Kristen Ponsford said: ‘The free gym is up the road go there use the massive boulders on the seafront.’

:: Scott Farrell said: ‘I think the country has lost respect for everything, sadly.’

:: Lynne Davage said: ‘Really not a problem, and I am sure our fallen would be proud to be helping exercise.’

:: Meanwhile, Melissa Louise Minister clapped back: ‘This makes me so angry. How disrespectful. My great grandfather served on HMS Saracen – a submarine lost at sea in the Second World War.

‘A lot of his oppos’ names are on this memorial and he is on the memorial wall in the submariner museum. This is massively disrespectful.

‘This monument is a quiet place to look at the memorial and remember the fallen, now a flipping gymnasium! Those who say otherwise need their heads testing and (to) maybe learn some manners whilst they are at it.’

:: Daniel Harper, from Portsmouth, was among those not phased by the clip. He said: ‘Not harming anyone. Could be doing much worse. Unless he's super strong I can't see it crumbling down anytime soon.’

:: Like-minded Vee Racity said: ‘Oh boo hoo... He's gyming, not taking drugs, not vandalising, not littering, not being anti-social. It’s a memorial not a gravestone, maybe some of you need real problems to moan about because this is first-world bull.’

:: Debbie Clements, from Portsmouth, added: ‘Thousands of people’s names are on that memorial. They went through hell and lost their lives for our country. It's a matter of respect.’

:: Frank Hoskins said: ‘Why would you think using a war memorial, or in fact any memorial, in this manner acceptable? Show some respect.'

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:: Dan Churchley said: ‘In the grounds of inappropriate and a bad idea, but not intentionally malicious. Not worth holding a grudge over.'

:: Ani Kelso added: ‘Yeah, it’s a memorial for the dead. It’s disrespectful to the lost and their families. It’s like using a gravestone to lift, just don't. Plenty of other places to work out.

The 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.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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