An internet post which described South Oxhey as a slum has been branded as a "straightforward case of vandalism".

South Oxhey was described as a "slum of Watford" on Wikipedia earlier this week but was changed two days later.

The website allows anybody to edit pages and contribute information to different topics.

But when the Watford Observer approached the online encyclopaedia for a comment, Stevie Benton, communications organiser for Wikimedia UK said a number of pages have been changed from the same computer in the past.

He said: "It looks like a straight-forward case of vandalism.

"The IP address that made the edit to this page has a history of vandalism and has made edits to other pages, including David Nugent, a footballer’s page and also Dale Winton.

"This IP address made one edit on FC Manchester’s page where they suggested the ladies’ team should be disbanded because women cannot play football.

Wikimedia classifies edits as "vandalism" when they "do not improve the page".

Mr Benton added: "They obviously have some connection with the area because most of the edits are about South Oxhey or the Oxhey Jets Football Club.

"We cannot tell if the IP address is residential, so an individual person doing it at home, or if it is a shared computer, say at a college.

"They have been banned for vandalism and I am sure they will be banned again."

Politicians are moving ahead with plans for the South Oxhey Initiative, which will transform the centre of the estate and are expected to cut the number of potential developers in the next few weeks.

David Reidy, who wrote a book detailing the history of the estate, said: "I lived on the estate from 1948 until 1969 and have pleasant memories of my time there.

"Although there were inevitable problems as a result of a substantial influx of working class Londoners over a short period in the immediate post war years, these were substantially over- emphasised by insecure and snobbish residents of some of the well-heeled neighbouring areas.

"My book, Poor but Proud, clearly demonstrates, for instance, that the incidence of crime was no higher on the estate than in Watford.

"Many residents from the estate did well educationally. There are examples of children who became doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. I know of at least two who won places at Cambridge and three who obtained PhD's.

Councillor Stephen Cox, who represents South Oxhey at Three Rivers District Council said: "The internet is a fine source of information but can also be a source of complete disinformation and the fact any Tom, Dick or Harry can alter things on Wikipedia is a disadvantage."

Councillor Cox added the post had been made through "ignorance".