Police are investigating six incidents of Nazi insignia being daubed in the Jewish areas of Prestwich and Whitefield, in north Manchester.

SS symbols and swastikas were scratched and drawn into brickwork at two tram stations, while Nazi signs were painted on to hoardings near the Mesivta Jewish secondary school and next to a Morrisons supermarket.

Residents in Prestwich’s King’s Road, where many Jewish families live, said they were “unsettled” by an incident in which swastikas were sprayed in shaving foam.

One mother said her nine-year-old daughter had witnessed a man daubing the pavement outside their home. “They had done it all over the block and in the next road. It didn’t scare me but I don’t like the idea of a gang getting some enjoyment out of this,” she said.

Inspector Mark Kenny of Greater Manchester Police said: “This is a repugnant criminal act which has taken place in the heart of the Jewish community.

“To those who engage in such acts and who think it’s clever, my message is clear — we will track you down and prosecute you.”

Officers will be carrying out high-visibility patrols to prevent further incidents and provide reassurance to residents.