Pro-EU family become victims of 'hate crime'

Victoria Burbidge, of Greatbridge Road, said one of her stained glass windows was smashed sometime between 9pm on July 28 and 9am on July 29 because they display EU flags outside of their house.

Now the family have had to shell out approximately £100 to repair the broken window and are still scrubbing away remains of the egg.

Victoria said: "It is just unnecessary and the egg on the window has set like concrete. I have been washing and scrapping this and these people will get a kick out of it.

"They have egged a lovely original pane of glass that was 120 years old and have also egged my dining room window. What I am cross about is if they have a problem why did they not say anything.

"It stinks and we did not know it happened at the time. We have secondary glass that would have muffled the noise and the eggs took out a good chunk of the pane of glass."

The 56-year-old military researcher added: "My husband Tim's first response was 'how pathetic' and he also said was 'lets put up some more EU posters'.

"We have lived here for 21 years and we have never had anything like that happen. We do not agree with the Leave campaign, but we did not go around smashing windows."

Mark Cooper, who represents Romsey Tadburn on the borough council, said: "I think it is disgraceful behaviour and people want to show their loyalty to a particular cause. I have a flagpole in my garden and I have every sympathy with the family who were egged.

"It is very intimidating and we must not let people who use violence and are narrow-minded win."

He added: "I am aghast that people would do that sort of thing."

The family have reported the crime to the police and are hoping there are "clear images on the CCTV" to help identify the offenders, according to Victoria.

A spokesperson from Hampshire police said: "If anyone has any information about this incident, please call 101, quoting reference 44190266428."