A 42-year-old woman has been arrested (Picture: Brentwood Gazette)

A woman has been arrested after she was pictured urinating on a war memorial.

The woman was spotted in Grays, Essex, on the day the world marked 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.

Theresa May reveals she was never able to have childrenThe monument, which bears the names of those killed in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, was surrounded by poppies.

Police have now arrested a 42-year-old woman on suspicion of outraging public decency.


One high street office worker said a group of people had been loitering in the area all week.

The war memorial in Grays, where the woman was seen urinating

‘The party of people have been there for the last four days. There have been a few of them who have been there from Monday to Thursday.



‘It is unfortunate to hear. They were absolutely p***ed. We have had ambulances and paramedics around here wasting their time.

MORE: Euro 2016 panic after firecrackers start stampede

Another said: ‘If it is who I think it is then it wouldn’t surprise me.

‘We have had a couple of regular drunks and over the last week or so we have had ambulances picking them up.’

A spokesman for Essex Police said: ‘Officers investigating an incident of outraging public decency in Grays have made an arrest.

‘Police were made aware of a photograph circulating on social media on July 1 which showed the offence taking place by the war memorial on Grays High Street.

‘A 42-year-old woman from Grays has been arrested this morning on suspicion of outraging public decency and is awaiting questioning in custody.’