A mural of former NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has been vandalised about a week after security guards were hired to protect it.

The mural was defaced just a day after it was unveiled at Erskineville train station as part of a Graffiti Removal Day campaign, designed to discourage vandalism.

Two security guards were then hired by Transport for NSW at $1,300 a day to protect the mural.

Listener Luke sent Ben Fordham Live images of the damaged mural this morning.

RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd told Ben Fordham “it’s pathetic, really”.

“People are failing to recognise what the mural actually means.

“It’s just disrespectful, not just to Shane, but also to all the volunteers that he actually represented during that fire season.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview