“Vulgar” graffiti has increasingly popped up in a Sutton alleyway, according to a worried mum, as she fears the recent scrawls may encourage more antisocial behaviour.

Kate Sheppard spotted the writings on the Collingwood Road footpath, near to Beauchamp Road, while taking her five-year-old son to school during the mornings.

The schoolteacher, who says the graffiti “worsened quite dramatically” over a couple days, described them as “horrific imagery”.

Images show the acronym LGBT crossed out while another appears to depict a stick figure hanging from a noose.

But Mrs Sheppard fears the scrawlings could lead more concerning messages and antisocial behaviour in the area being viewed as acceptable.

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She said: “It's not the nicest alleyway anyway, and previously there had been occasional tags but nothing obvious.

“Then, about two weeks ago, over the space of a couple of days, it worsened quite dramatically. From my point of view as a local resident and as a parent I found the graffiti to be quite vulgar.

“There's a sign that says LGBT and then it's crossed over and there's a stick man hanging [from a noose].

“It's quite brutal but also quite dark, and quite homophobic perhaps.

“I feel like it needs to be dealt with in some way - whether that's painting over it or we'd set up CCTV in that area.

“Something to show people that, actually, this is not okay. You can't put this up here and we're not going to just keep walking past it and accepting it.”

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The mum-of-two says she contacted Sutton Council about it but had not heard back, but a council spokesman said Veolia is aware of the situation.

A graffiti team will be sent in to remove it, he added.