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A popular mural which immortalised much-loved Gavin and Stacey characters has been vandalised ahead of the show's return.

The spray paint artwork was commissioned by homeowner Anya Clements, and took artist Tee2sugars 20 hours over three days.

It saw some of the ����ý comedy series' best known characters painted on an outer garden wall, so people walking along the public footpath in Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan - about 15 minutes from Barry Island - could enjoy it.

But police are now investigating after the mural was "defaced" last week, just one month after it was completed.

Taking to TikTok to share the news, Ms Clements said: "We did this for the community, on the side of our house, and we've been so overwhelmed by the amount of love and support it's had.

"This took so much time to do... we don't understand why anybody would do this and we were really shocked to hear that this had happened.

"Everybody in the community was super upset."

She added she had CCTV footage which she said had captured two boys carrying out the vandalism.

South Wales Police confirmed it had received a report of criminal damage on Pembroke Close, Dinas Powys on 1 August.

"A mural was defaced the previous evening and an investigation into the incident is underway. Officers are in the process of checking CCTV in the area [and] there have been no arrests," the force said.

Mural artist Tee2sugars has since gone back and reinstated the mural to its former glory.

He remained positive about the vandalism, which he said he "half expects" to happen.

"They want you to be sad about it, so I don't let it get to me.

"It's paint at the end of the day, and I have fixed it now to make people happy again."

He shared a video on his social media page featuring the vandals, stating: "I'm open to collabs, but not like this."

Gavin and Stacey co-creators Ruth Jones and James Corden announced earlier this year that the show would return for one final episode, to be broadcast on Christmas Day.