The spray-painting of a three-foot high "F--- Israel" slogan in one of Manchester's busiest areas is being treated by police as a hate crime.

It was daubed in Bury New Road in the densely Jewish populated area of Broughton Park between Sunday night and the early hours of Monday.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said a member of the public was seen trying to clean the graffiti off the wall. The matter "was then passed to neighbourhood policing and environment services were requested to attend. It's being treated as a hate incident because of where it was and what was written".

Salford City Council said the graffiti was removed at 7.30am on Tuesday. "Racist or overtly offensive graffiti is given our highest priority and is usually dealt with within 24 hours."