The headstone of a Victoria Cross-winning hero's grave has been destroyed by vandals.

Gary Stapleton, chairman of the Victoria Cross Trust, said that the "next generation" did not realise the importance of war heroes' graves because they were not well enough looked-after by society.

The broken headstone of Anthony Booth, at St Michael's Churchyard in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, could cost thousands of pounds to repair, according to the Trust

Booth was given the award for fending off 400 Zulu warriors with just a handful of men in South Africa, during the Anglo-Zulu War in March 1879.

Military history enthusiasts say they have been left devastated by the vandalism and have launched a fundraising campaign to fund repairs to the headstone, which could cost "four figures".