AN Extinction Rebellion logo was placed on the historic Alton Barnes White Horse on Sunday – which had only recently been restored.

A number of people took to social media to condemn the climate change activists and said that even though cloth was used to create the logo the re-chalking could have been damaged by people walking on the horse.

However, the group Extinction Rebellion Vale of Pewsey has defended the move adding that the was made from T-shirts and was only temporary.

Many people also backed the group's move.

Salisbury Journal:

In a post on Facebook, Extinction Rebellion Vale of Pewsey said: "We laid out soft fabrics to create a piece of flash art that we had every intention of removing without trace by daybreak.

"Let’s be clear, this was by no means an illegal act. We did not vandalise nor deface what is a beautiful chalk monument on the soil of our local community. We too love the White Horse, and it is because of that love that we chose to do it.

"We have acted out of love. Love of our community, our landscape, our children, our planet."

The logo has since been removed, with protesters adding there was no trace of it ever being there.

As reported, back in July and August, it took two attempts for the White Horse to be re-chalked after the first attempt to fly in a Chinook had to be aborted because of bad weather.

A few days later when the helicopter returned school children and villagers helped to spread the tons of chalk on the horse and then returned again to finish the long job.