A museum has condemned graffiti artists as “absolutely shameful” after a mural was spray-painted and defaced.

The mural of the Brighton Belle Train has been tagged with orange paint, leaving staff at the Brighton Toy Museum to clean the paint off the wall.

The painting, which was first installed in 2010, runs underneath the forecourt of Brighton train station, and staff now want to catch the person responsible for painting over the mural.

Jan Etches, General Manager at Brighton and Hove Toy Museum said: "I think it’s shameful. I hope that someone knows who this tag belongs to.

“We are a tiny little museum and the guy who owns it is almost 80 years old and he gets so upset that people do these things so mindlessly.

“I’m absolutely livid because I’m doing my absolute best. It’s going to take me two hours to get it off.”

Ms Etches added that graffiti and tagging has been a constant problem for the museum in the underpass in Trafalgar Street, which she described as “a bit intimidating”. The mural has not been targeted before the incident on Saturday, November 5.

The Argus: The mural depicts the Brighton Belle train in the arches under the station forecourtThe mural depicts the Brighton Belle train in the arches under the station forecourt (Image: Jan Etches)

The mural of the train was designed by museum founder Chris Littledale and was painted by signwriter Terry Smith. The painting of the historic train stretches across four arches underneath the station.

Brighton Toy Museum say they are now running a campaign in order to light up the underpass and to deter others from tagging the mural and surrounding area.

The museum plans to install CCTV cameras into the underpass in the hope of catching those responsible for the graffiti.

The plans are supported by the Railway Heritage Trust and includes glazing the Victorian arches in the underpass to “regenerate the area and bring light and life to the underpass”.

Ms Etches added: “What I hope is that when that person or people who know them see what they have done to a little registered charity they will feel ashamed about themselves.

“All our staff are volunteers and I am spending my time painting over these tags.”