Thieves have stripped metal from a war memorial for a third time, it was revealed today.

Copper Barr Beacon war memorial’s roof, was taken again – about six months after it was last repaired.

Walsall Council leader Mike Bird today branded those responsible as “the lowest of the low.” The council is considering using a different material to deter more attacks.

Copper was stripped from the roof of the 50 ft memorial in March 2010 leaving the council with a repair bill of about £15,000. It was attacked months later as repair work was done.

The memorial was built in 1933 as a tribute to Staffordshire and Warwickshire people who fell during the First World War.

Councillor Bird urged people to report anything suspicious and added: “These people deserve locking up. This is a war memorial to people who have lost their lives fighting for this country.

“The people who have done this are the lowest of the low — lower than a snake on a tyre track.

“The people who have done this deserve imprisonment, there’s no two ways about it.”