RUINED BY RAIN Marcus Rashford mural destroyed by heavy rain after fans left messages of support to cover racist abuse

THOUSANDS of heartfelt messages left on the mural of England footballer Marcus Rashford have tonight been washed away by heavy rainfall.

Posted Friday, July 23, 2021 by Thesun.co.uk

The tributes were due to be removed tomorrow so they could be preserved by some of the city's galleries and museums.

Heartfelt messages left on the mural of footballer Marcus Rashford have been washed away by heavy rainfall. Credit: Zenpix

But torrential downpours destroyed the tributes on the artwork on Moorfield Street, off Copson Street in the centre of Withington village.

It had symbolised a rejection of hate after it was defaced the morning after England's defeat in the European Championship final.

The offensive graffiti on the side of the Coffee House Café on Copson Street was covered up.

People then came to leave notes with messages of support for Marcus and for his England teammates Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.

They were racially abused online after missing penalties in England's shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley.

Renowned street artist Akse resprayed and repainted it.

Soon after the number of messages continued to grow, with some people travelling several hundred miles to come to see it.

But amid high humidity, Greater Manchester was battered by thunderstorms this evening, causing flooding in some parts.

Daniel Martinez, who lives nearby, told the Manchester Evening News: "It's a total shame because I live a 30-second walk from it.

"It's had visitors every day since the Euros."

The mural had been set to be preserved by Manchester Art Gallery, Central Library's Archives Department, the People's History Museum, the National Football Museum, the University of Manchester, and the Withington Walls project who first commissioned it.

"Racist abuse will never be tolerated, for club nor for country. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, act and report it," the club tweeted.

RUINED BY RAIN Marcus Rashford mural destroyed by heavy rain after fans left messages of support to cover racist abuse
Trolls vandalised a mural of Marcus Rashford in Manchester the day after England's Euro final defeat Credit: MEN Media