Parents were horrified after someone spray-painted 'I rape girls' near a primary school.
Yobs daubed the graffiti overnight on Fife Avenue, in Chester-le-Street.
One mum said the street is often used by parents taking their kids to Bullion Lane Primary School.
"I’m fuming as my seven-year-old son has to walk past this to go to school - it’s awful," said Kate Hall, who walked past it at 8.30am on Wednesday.
"I think it’s disgusting - there are children walking past here through the day and to walk to and from the school.
"I don’t know what they think they are achieving doing it."
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The vandals also scribbled words like 'nonce' and 'grass' on the wall outside a home.
ChronicleLive attempted to contact the school, but no was available to immediately comment.
However the act has caught Durham Constabulary's attention, which received a call about it on Wednesday morning.
A police spokesperson said: “Damaging property with graffiti is a criminal offence under the Criminal Damage act 1971 and this type of anti-social behaviour is not tolerated.
“Our investigations into identifying the suspect are ongoing.”
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