CHARITY Romano Lav has issued a funding plea to replace a desecrated Holocaust memorial.

Last week the Evening Times told how the Romani Rose Tree Memorial in Queen's Park was vandalised by mindless thugs.

Now the group behind the commemoration of the tens of thousands of Roma people murdered during World War II is trying to raise £2,500.

A statement from Romano Lav says: "We were disgusted by the recent act of vandalism against our young people’s genocide memorial in Govanhill. 

"However, we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of solidarity messages after our statement on this incident, both from local people and internationally. 

"We would like to thank all of those who have responded or sent us uplifting messages. 

"The reaction has been heart warming and has shown the strong support which exists for Govanhill's Roma communities.

"There have been lots of requests to donate to restore the memorial. We are deeply grateful for this."

The charity says the original memorial will now be restored with support from BEMIS, the umbrella body helping Black and Ethnic Minority communities in Scotland.

Glasgow City Council has also offered to help ensure the Roma Holocaust memorial is repaired.

Historians estimate that around 25 percent of all European Roma were killed during the Holocaust, amounting to 250,000.

Unveiled on Roma Holocaust Day, August 2, the genocide memorial was planted by young Roma people from Govanhill.

On that date in 1944 more than 4000 Roma people were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The charity added: "As we have been overwhelmed by requests to donate, we have set up a crowdfunder for those who wish to show solidarity with our local Roma communities by supporting our wider work. 

"This will allow us to continue empowering Roma communities and resisting racism, as well as to create a more permanent memorial to remember all of those Roma who were murdered during the Holocaust."

To donate to the charity see: tinyurl.com/RomanoLav