AN elderly man has blasted a graffiti vandal who spray-painted the words "CORONA VIRUS HOAX!" on a wall near his home.

The 77-year-old man, who does not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, believes the act betrays an attitude among some people in the Hollinwood and Limeside community that there is nothing in the deadly Covid-19 bug to worry about.

The words appeared on a brick wall at the back of council-owned garages in Limeside Road, just yards from the Welcome Inn public house within the last few days.

The man said: "I am 77 years old and, ideally, I'd like to live to be 78.

"There are people round here not wearing masks, gathering together in groups and behaving as if the coronavirus pandemic does not exist.

"It is no wonder the Covid-19 rate in Oldham has spiked, the way some people are behaving.

"I don't understand their attitude. If it was themselves or a member of their family who were in a coma for days and weeks before eventually dying, maybe they would think differently."

And he called for Oldham Council to remove the graffiti.

"It's not the council's fault, but the garages are owned by them," he said. "The message that has been sent out by the council is that they want people to adhere to the Covid-19 restrictions. Something like this doesn't help.

"I tried to report it to Oldham Council, but I couldn't get through on the phone."

An Oldham Council spokesperson said: "Graffiti is unacceptable and blights an area.

"We’ll arrange for this to be removed within hours.

"The public should report graffiti to us via our website."