Grave vandalised just six weeks after burial, Teesdale Mercury

A GRIEVING daughter whose mother died just six weeks ago said she is devastated after the unmarked grave was vandalised three times in one week. 

Jacqui Irving, whose mother Evelyn died following a stroke, said she had gone to lay fresh flowers at the grave in Barnard Castle when she saw it had been disturbed. 

She said: “There was a green pot on the grave with two lots of flowers – some were roses off a tree that my sister Pauline had bought for my mum when she was still alive and she has kept since. 

“When I got to the grave the flowers were gone and the pot had been taken out of the ground. 

“I did think it might have been 

the wind, because we’ve had high winds, but the pot had a long spike in it – it wouldn’t have come out easily.”

Mrs Irving said she was distraught that the flowers had been taken but matters were made worse when she returned to the grave several days later and there was more damage. 

She said: “The pot was out of the ground and the carnations that we had bought the week before had be strewn across the graveyard.

“I was devastated. I don’t know why anybody would want to do that. You think it must be kids messing around because who would do that? But whoever is responsible needs to realise what they are putting the family through.”

The family are unable to get a gravestone added to the grave until the ground has settled. 

Mrs Irving said: “We put the flowers and pots there because we wanted it to look nice. 

“Mum used to love flowers, she had a lovely garden.”

She then said her sister had visited the grave again on Friday and more flowers had been disturbed. 

“I was in the Lakes at the weekend and I saw this heart-shaped stone that said ‘miss you mam’ but I thought ‘what’s the point?’.” 

She said: “I just can’t believe that someone would do this. I would say to them to just leave the grave alone and respect the dead. Kids are just kids but just leave it alone, this is just going too far.”

Sgt Chris Knox, from Barnard Castle Police, said that the police have been made aware of anti-social  behaviour issues in the area in the past and alcohol has been seized. 

He said: “This is the first I have heard of this particular incident and we will increase patrols in the area and in particular around the graveyard. 

“We have been made aware of small numbers of anti-social issues around the graveyard in the past and around some parts in the alley near William Smith. 

“I will speak to PC Harry Marsh and consider it for a PACT meeting for the forthcoming month.”