A memorial brass plaque in memory of a Southwold police constable from Worlingham, near Beccles, who killed himself has been vandalised.

After the death of PC Mike Gard in April 2011 a bench with the brass plaque was set up in town by his family and friends overlooking Southwold common golf course.

PC Gard's family and colleagues are said to be upset after someone used a sharp object to scratch and damage the commemorative plaque.

The damage happened between 9am on Monday, June 4 and 3pm on Monday.

Anne-Marie Breach, a Suffolk police spokesman, said: 'Clearly his family and colleagues are upset that the bench has been damaged.

'Mike was well known and liked in Southwold and we hope someone in the community can help us find who was responsible for the damage.'

PC Gard was 37 when he killed himself. He was born in Great Yarmouth, lived in Worlingham and as well as Southwold served in Beccles and Halesworth.

An inquest in September heard PC Gard had been in a distressed state when he killed himself in the Dye's Farm area of Blofield Heath, near Norwich, on April 19, 2011.

He had shot himself with a shotgun.

PC Gard had two children with his partner of nine years, Donna Shrubsall

Police are asking anyone with information about who caused the damage to the bench, which was the first bench on the common near Blyth Road, to call the Southwold and Halesworth Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101.