Watch the moment yobs destroy sign outside Sunderland restaurant

CCTV footage from outside D’Acqua in John Street shows a number of men booting the sign in the early hours of Tuesday.

They then make off towards the direction of Wearmouth Bridge.

D’Acqua’s Jimmy Shadforth posted the video on his own Facebook page, with the footage now being shared hundreds of times.

Well-wishers have slammed the actions of the men who carried out the vandalism.

“The police sent some along to have a look at it and people from the BID (Business Improvement District) are aware of it too,” said Jimmy, 31, who lives in Fulwell.

“The footage has been shared 260 times now so someone who was involved must have seen the footage.

“If they’d realised what they’d done and come down the day after to say ‘we’re sorry and here’s the money to pay for the damage’ then fair enough but that hasn’t happened.

“These things do go on, I understand that, but we don’t have anyone with grievances against us so I don’t know why someone would do this.

“We’re only off one day a week and when I saw bits of the sign in the road I thought that maybe it was the wind that had done it.

“But after going through the CCTV from the night before it didn’t take to work out it had been in the early hours of Tuesday.”

Jimmy, who has owned the restaurant for nine years, now hopes that those responsible can be tracked down and made to pay for a new board.

“I felt a bit bad ringing the police about it because I realise they probably have more important crimes to solve at the minute,” he added.

“We can easily replace the board but it’s £150 I shouldn’t have to spend.

“Whoever has done this has done it for no reason, it’s not as if they have broken in through the front door and stolen anything from inside.

“It’s just mindless vandalism which is absolutely pointless.”