Neighbours of a famous White Horse have accused Extinction Rebellion of 'defacing' the monument by covering it with their logo just weeks after schoolchildren helped restore it.

The activists used dark cloth to create their hourglass symbol on the top of the Alton Barnes White Horse in Wiltshire, which was cut in 1812.

It angered locals who re-chalked the precious site back in August, using 46 tonnes of pristine rock dumped from a RAF Chinook helicopter.

Activists used dark cloth to create their hourglass symbol on the top of the Alton Barnes White Horse in Wiltshire, which was cut in 1812

Rob Sutherland, whose 11-year-old daughter Molly was among the restoration team, said: 'The children are all aware of the issues around climate and they want to make it better.

'But they can't comprehend why the white horse was chosen for this. Hundreds of people helped re chalk it in August.

'This is not a good way for Extinction Rebellion to publicise their cause.'

Another local Graham Newland blasted the activists as 'cheap anarchists', and said: 'This is a wanton act of vandalism.

'Besides disrespecting the children who they claim to act for and angering them and the community who lovingly restored this fragile precious chalk environment, these so called protectors of the planet have done their bit to damage it.

'Besides breaking down the chalk (bad), the chalk is clearly poisoned with chemicals and damaged today as a direct result of their actions.'

Molly Sutherland now 12 who lead the clean up operation of the white horse said she was disappointed by the Extinction Rebellion actions.

It angered locals who re-chalked the precious site back in August, using 46 tonnes of pristine rock dumped from a RAF Chinook helicopter (pictured)

She said: 'I'm all for environmental issues.

'But targeting the white horse is not a good way of highlighting that.

'All the children involved in the clean up have been disappointed.'

However, a spokesman for Extinction Rebellion's Vale of Pewsey group insisted the monument had not been damaged.

'We laid out soft fabrics to create a piece of flash art that we had every intention of removing without trace by daybreak,' they said.

'It depicted an hourglass, the symbol used by Extinction Rebellion to draw attention to the very real fact that time is rapidly running out for us to mitigate against the catastrophic effects of climate change.

'We believe it is vital to deliver this message as urgently and as visibly as possible in order to awaken us all to the truth, and empower us to take the action that is so critically needed.'

The spokesman added: 'The gentlest touch was used to lay the hand-tied fabric logo, with the fewest people on the chalk at any one time.

'We have acted out of love. Love of our community, our landscape, our children, our planet.'