WORK is underway to repair Basildon's iconic Hollywood style sign that has been targeted by vandals.

The race is on to try and fix it in time for it to be illuminated again to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee – on Sunday, 6 February she will become the first British Monarch to reach 70 years of service.

To celebrate this unprecedented anniversary, events and initiatives will take place throughout the year, culminating in a four day UK bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.

However, the damage may be too much to sort out for Sunday's anniversary says council leader Cllr Andrew Baggott.

The sign frequently changes colour and style to mark special events,.

Leader of the council, Andrew Baggott, said he was "extremely disappointed" by the vandalism, which has "wrecked" the sign.

As well as being a visual marker of Basildon, the sign is frequently lit in different colours to commemorate special dates or events – from the Olympics to paying tribute to NHS heroes.

"We lit up the sign to support the NHS, and it turned gold for our amazing Olympians," said Cllr Baggott," but now some idiots have vandalised it. I am extremely disappointed. They have wrecked the electric system, it needs lots of work."