Yobs rubbish Bono mansion as U2 struggles on tour

Vandals have rubbished Bono's luxury million-pound home in Dublin.

Mindless yobs daubed disgusting slogans in excrement on the cream- coloured dining room walls at the mansion.

The U2 superstar's wife Ali broke down in tears when she returned to the house, in Vico Road, Dalkey, after the raid.

She phoned Bono, who is touring in the US, and said: "They've messed up our place." He wanted to dash home the same day.

Ali had just got back from a do-good trip to help child victims of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. She told Bono that the vandals also targeted others in the exclusive suburb - including motor racing ace Eddie Irvine and rock superstar Van Morrison.

Ali persuaded Bono to stay on tour, said a family friend.

"He was raging. The tour is not going well and U2 stands to lose millions," said the friend. "The tickets are just not selling.

"Ali was extremely upset but she told Bono to keep plugging the tour."

Gardai said they had received only one report of vandalism on Vico Road last week.

A spokesman said: "A lot of wealthy people there have private security and don't bother too much with the gardai. Officially we know that one house was vandalised, but we can not disclose names."

He added: "People like Bono, Van and Eddie Irvine are running around the world all the time. Vandals think this makes them easy meat."

Three burly ex-police detectives patrol Bono's home. U2 neighbour Adam Clayton, ex-boyfriend of sexy catwalk queen Naomi Campbell, also has a 24-hour watch on his house.

After the attack, Bono's wife Ali is spending the weekend with best pal Adi Roche in Cork. The two friends brought 1,500 children from Chernobyl to Ireland for a holiday last week.

"Ali is hurt by what has happened, but she'll get over it. In her mind, the Chernobyl children come first," said a friend.

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