Vandals who devastated a west Suffolk cemetery have been branded “a disgrace” and “sad”.

Small family tokens, plant pots and flowers were broken and flung around Sudbury Cemetery in Newton Road, prompting a furious reaction from visitors and staff on the town council.

Richard Webb discovered the damage yesterday morning and said he “couldn’t believe what the kids had done up there”.

“They’ve chucked the flowers everywhere and pulled the pots up and thrown them everywhere. It’s a disgrace really,” added Mr Webb.

“They’ve got nothing else to do, these kids. It’s such a shame - people are going to go up there and find their statues and pots have been all thrown about.”

Bradley Smith and his fellow community wardens spent yesterday afternoon clearing up the damage, which is believed to have happened overnight on Wednesday.

Mr Smith said: “They’ve gone through the whole cemetery and it’s devastation all the way through. It’s a bit sad really.”

The culprits are believed to have got into the cemetery either through the back entrance or a hedge nearby.

Christine Page, a customer services advisor at Sudbury Town Council, said the council had received complaints from a woman in a recent weeks that her father’s grave was being targeted by vandals, while they had asked local police officers to step-up patrols in the area.

“It started off with her area to begin with, and it seems they’ve just got more and more brazen,” said Ms Page.

“When people lose their loved ones, they go to the graves, they put their little memorials on and pay their respects. It’s disrespectful for someone to go through the cemetery doing this sort of thing.”