Calls have been made to protect a roadside memorial to a village – which was flooded more than 50 years ago to make way for a reservoir – after vandals attacked it again.

People gathered to repaint the iconic ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ mural on a wall on the outskirts of Llanrhystud on Sunday night after it was daubed over with the word ‘Elvis’ and a heart.

Meaning ‘Remember Tryweryn’, the original graffiti appeared after the village of Capel Celyn in Gwynedd was flooded in 1965, sparking widespread protests.

The Cambrian News has regularly reported on the memorial being defaced since it was first painted, with vandals targeting the wall to leave other political messages, paint over or alter the words, and add graffiti.

In 2008, the words were altered to ‘Angofiwch Dryweryn’ – ‘Forget Tryweryn’.

The latest vandalism at the site saw the wall temporarily mirror that of another famous graffiti landmark.

A large stone with the word Elvis daubed on it lies on the A44 15 miles east of Aberystwyth, near Eisteddfa Gurig, known as the Elvis Rock.

A petition calling for the oft-­vandalised Cofiwch Dryweryn mural to receive special protection from the Welsh Government was launched and received more than 1,800 signatures in a matter of hours.

The petition said: “It’s ridiculous that such an important landmark in 20th century Welsh history is the subject of vandalism, while a recent Banksy work is granted protection.

“It’s time this landmark be granted official protected site status.”

Ceredigion AM Elin Jones said: “It was disheartening to see that the Cofiwch Dryweryn mural has been vandalised over the weekend.

“But I was pleased to see that a group of young people took their paint pots to Llanrhystud to remedy this situation within 24 hours."

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