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A mother has blasted those who removed an anti texting while driving sign from the roadside memorial of her son.
Cyclist Daniel Squire was struck by a van near Ringwould on the Dover to Deal road on September 7, 2013. He died in hospital the next day.
In the lead up the fifth anniversary of his death tomorrow, his mum Tracy Squire had placed a Why Risk It? awareness sign at the site of the accident reminded drivers of the dangers of using a mobile behind the wheel.
The logo was used in a campaign launched by KentOnline's sister paper The Mercury came after the trial of Philip Sinden, who was driving a Vauxhall Vivaro that collided with Daniel’s bike, admitted texting in the minutes before he struck Daniel.
Now, the distraught mother has discovered it has been removed with half of the snapped stump left in the ground.
She told KentOnline: "Whoever has done it, they're scum!
"They've trampled over the last place my son was, the place where my son's life was taken.
"I feel violated. I don't know who would do such a thing."
She continued: "It was there only three days.
"They couldn't get the whole of it out of the ground so the broke it in two and left the rest.
"As if our hearts are not broken enough, especially this week of all weeks."
Mrs Squire says she received a phone call from a police officer on Tuesday afternoon to inform her that the post had been removed.
It is understood a member of the public witnessed the removal and reported it to police.
"As if our hearts are not broken enough, especially this week of all weeks." - Tracy Squire
The memorial site also features a flower bed and a ghost bike, both of which appear untouched.
Mrs Squire says she has not been able to sleep since she was told.
She said: "It's disgusting.
"If somebody was really upset by it, I'd take it down.
"If they thought it was dangerous or offensive, we'd take it down.
"It's to tell people to stop texting when driving. It was a sign sending out a good message, nothing bad at all. It's not a cruel message.
"They've got no right to go up there and do this."
Kent County Council has confirmed it was not aware of the removal of the sign and would not look to take down any sign at the site unless it posed a danger.
Police are looking into it.
A spokesman said: "Kent Police was made aware on Tuesday, September 4 that a display installed by a member of the public had been removed from the A258 near Ringwould.
"The display had been erected next to a memorial to remember a cyclist who died following a collision in March 2015.
"Officers are carrying out initial enquiries into the incident."
Mrs Squire says she will be installing another sign.
The incident falls in the same week Mrs Squire spoke out about writing to the people whose lives have changed after she and Daniel's father Symon chose to donate his organs.
The fifth annual memorial match between Daniel’s former team Rover Colts and Deal Legends is at Deal Town Football Club tonight. Kick off is at 7pm.
Philip Sinden was charged with causing the death of the cyclist by dangerous driving.
He was acquited of the charge during a trial in March 2015 and found not guilty of the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.