VANDALS have made cheeky alterations to a bus stop which have left residents chuckling.

The bus stop in North Station Road, Colchester, is adorned with Essex County Council branding.

But a prankster has gone along and removed the letters E and S form the council name and also the word council.

It means pedestrians and drivers are having their eyes drawn to the phrase ‘Sex County’ which is repeated three times on the shelter.

The bus stop is just round the corner from Colchester station and is on the walking route into the town centre for visitors and commuters.

It is not the only vandalism to County Hall property after vandals made alterations to a sign on the A120 so drivers were welcomed to Surrey rather than the hamlet of Surrex.

READ MORE: A120 sign now welcoming drivers to... Surrey?

A Gazette reader who spotted the reworked sign said: “It must give a great first impression of Colchester to visitors who leave the train station and the first thing they see is a bus shelter."

Essex Highways said it would be sending someone to look at the signs this week.

A spokesman said: “We hope to remove the offending vandalised wording within the next couple of days.

“If anyone sees someone vandalising a bus shelter, please report it to Essex Police on 101.”