Vandals wreak havoc in cemetery

By Richard Smith

THE headstone of a three-year-old girl has been damaged by vandals who have smashed their way through a cemetery.

Cemetery workers arriving at the old cemetery, off Warren Hill Road, Woodbridge, yesterday were dismayed to find a trail of damage left by the vandals.

Six headstones were either knocked over or badly damaged and Maggy Wilson, Suffolk Coastal District Council's cabinet member for community well-being, said: “This is a truly appalling act and will clearly be a terrible shock for any surviving relatives.

“What can you say about the mentality of someone who would kick over the headstone of a three-year-old girl?

“Some of the headstones can be re-erected by stonemasons and as a gesture of goodwill we have agreed to pay the £400 bill, but two or three of them are beyond repair.

“As these graves are in the Victorian part of the cemetery, we have no records of modern-day relatives and my heart sinks to think how they will feel when any of them next visit.”

Earlier this year vandals dumped flowers, vases and small keepsakes into an empty grave that had been prepared for a funeral, while several headstones were also knocked over at the cemetery, which is owned and managed by the district council.

It added about 15 newly-planted saplings have also been snapped in half at the roundabout between Wyevale Garden Centre and Seckford Hall on the A12 recently and will cost £420 to replace.

The trees were originally planted with a £600 grant from Suffolk County Council to enhance the visual look of the gateway to tourist attractions.

The council said the incidents were not connected, but officers were concerned about the amount of damage and urged residents to report anything suspicious to the police immediately.

richard.smith@eadt.co.uk