A TINY military heritage charity has been left reeling just days before the 75th anniversary of D-Day after discovering its signposts had been vandalised.

The Friends of the New Forest Airfields, which celebrates the contribution to World War II played by these tiny local airstrips, put their regular temporary signage out on Sunday for their bi-monthly open day near Bransgore in the New Forest.

But they were shocked to discover that vandals had struck twice, firstly by the destruction of the ‘Airfields Museum’ sign between 8.45an and 9.15am and again, during the afternoon, when all the signs were torn down and thrown onto the grass at the side of Derritt Lane in Bransgore.

Spokesman, Dr Henry Goodall, explained that the centre used to have a different access but now visitors to the bi-monthly Sunday open days had to drive through a new housing estate there.

"In order to guide visitors in an efficient way we decided to purchase road side signs; one sign had a photograph and there were half a dozen mini signs to say next left, or right or whatever," he said.

The group has never had any trouble before but discovered the two incidences of vandalism.

"We don't know who would do it, whether it's a disgruntled resident of the estate - although we've always had good relations with them - or just mindless vandalism," he said.

A local businessman has offered to pay for more robust new signage but, said Dr Goodall, the group was concerned that these could be vandalised as well. "We can't keep paying for new signage," he said, adding that it was the second time the charity had suffered vandalism. Someone, he said, had broken the glass display cabinet at the New Forest Airfields Memorial, at the former World War II airfield at Holmsley South, in September 2017.

It's also the second piece of vandalism within two weeks of a military support organisation - Burton Armed Forces and Veterans Day saw the vandalism of its signage recently.

"Our small charity exists solely to protect and preserve our local aviation heritage and to help people to learn about the courage and bravery of Allied airmen and women, who protected our freedom in our country’s ‘darkest hour’ in World War II," said Dr Goodall.

"To have it happen this week is particularly sad, I think, with the anniversary of D-Day coming up."