An elderly couple were left in tears after returning home to find a key glued into their front door and 'manure' shoved through their letterbox by a mystery woman.

Ken and Diane Lott, both 81, were arriving home from a gig on the Isle of Wight when they discovered the damage on February 9.

The couple, who live in Hockley, Essex, found manure had been smeared across their letterbox during the incident which they caught on CCTV.

The CCTV footage shows a woman at 10.30pm on February 8 at the front of their property holding manure in newspaper.

It also shows the woman at their front door with what they believe is the lid of glue in her mouth and she leans over the keyhole.

Mr and Mrs Lott were targeted in a similar act of vandalism on 28 April last year in which shocking CCTV showed paint stripper poured over their cars.

They believe the same person is responsible for both incidents and are appealing for the woman to stop.

Daughter Julie, 47, was horrified by the attack on her parents' home and has published CCTV pictures on social media.

She said: "My mum was in tears last night, both my parents are incredibly distressed."

"No one needs things like this happening at any time of life let alone at the age of 81."

"My parents got home on the Sunday to find a key glued into their front door lock and when they pulled the newspaper out of the letterbox it was covered in what looks like manure."

"CCTV shows the person concerned entered the drive with a red umbrella up but they put it down to open the glue and so we have a very clear picture."



"We as a family have no idea why this has happened"

and we do not recognise the person involved but it is definitely the same person as vandalised the cars last year.



"We just want to know who is doing this and why and to get this behaviour stopped."

"I just want this person found. This is much more than damage to a door."

It's harassment.

"I am infuriated and I want this person brought to justice. This is targeted, calculated behaviour and cannot be allowed to continue."

The attack on the couple's home back in April last year saw paint stripper poured over the family's two cars.

Black paint was also sprayed over all the car windows and construction foam sprayed into the cars' exhaust pipes and the front door lock.

Both cars had to be written off.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: "We are investigating an allegation of criminal damage in which a door was damaged at a property in Main Road, Hockley."

"The damage was reported to the police at around 3.15 pm on Sunday 9th February."