Yobs tried to steal silver from mum's grave

Janet Brown’s ashes were buried at Greasbrough Lane cemetery in Rawmarsh in November after she died age 67 last October.

Daughter Miss Reed, of Marrion Road, Rawmarsh, said: “I am just so angry that someone can do that to someone’s property. I think it’s absolutely appalling.

“I was so distraught when I saw the damage. I feel like I want to be there 24/7 now.”

Miss Reed thinks the yobs were after the silver in the picture frame. She said the family would now have to pay for the headstone to be removed.

She said: “It was distressing to know people could do something like that.”

Miss Reed said that the family had paid £200-plus to Rotherham Borough Council to pay for crematorium and cemetery services and there should be more security at the site.

She said: “Headstones are a lot of money and now we have got to pay again to have it repaired. It’s just  so upsetting knowing that we are trying to come to terms with her being there.”

The incident, thought to have happened overnight on Wednesday, February 3 into Thursday, February 4, has been reported to South Yorkshire Police.

A spokesman asked anyone with any information to contact police on 101, quoting incident 367 of February 4.

Dignity, which manages the cemetery on behalf of the council, said there had been no other reports of thefts or damage at the cemetery.

A spokesman said: “Our staff will remain vigilant but the cemetery is open to the public throughout the day.

“There are staff on site every day and they keep a watchful eye. Cemeteries are generally safe places and the gates are locked in the evening. Such an isolated incident like this, though distressing, is not representative of cemeteries as a whole.”