A PENSIONER has appeared in court after being accused of vandalising a plaque celebrating the life of Alfred Wainwright.

Michael Howard Barber denied causing £50 worth of damage to the sign in Wainwright’s Yard in Kendal when he appeared before South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

The 76-year-old pleaded not guilty to three charges of criminal damage and one charge of causing a man - Mark Wilson - harassment, alarm or distress.

The plaque from Kendal Civic Society, nailed to the side of the Gazette offices on Wainwright’s Yard, Kendal, offers information about the life of the renowned fell walker and author, who lived in Kendal.

The defendant was remanded on bail until his next appearance in court, set for September 2.

The sign spray-painted with a cross, accompanied by the letters ‘V’ and ‘E’, last week, but the graffiti was later removed.

As well the plaque, Mr Barber, of Romney Gardens, is accused of damaging a wall, a sign and stone seating belonging to Eric Wright Group.

The plaque was cleaned by father-and-son team Guy and Samuel Russell, South Lakes SoftWash, an exterior cleaning company.

They cleaned it up and removed red paint from a previous act of vandalism.