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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Kirsten McStay & Lucy Domachowski

Cilla Black and Ken Dodd's gravestones vandalised with 'offensive' graffiti

Vile vandals have targeted showbiz legends Cilla Black and Ken Dodd's gravestones by scrawling 'offensive' graffiti on their headstones.

On Monday night, the yobs defaced the graves of the two Scouse celebs at their resting place in Allerton Cemetery,Liverpool.

The damage was so bad that Sir Ken’s headstone has even had to be removed from his final resting place in order to be further cleaned, according to the  Liverpool Echo.

Cilla's headstone was able to be salvaged on site but it is not the first time the Blind Date star’s grave has been targeted.

Shortly after her burial in 2015, cruel thieves stole a bronze plaque inscribed with her name.

(Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

A post in a community Facebook group claimed the graffiti was 'offensive' but the exact nature of the vandalism has not been confirmed.

It understood both families have been made aware of the vandalism, and Liverpool Council are working to carry out repairs in a timely manner.

A local council spokesperson said: “We were appalled to discover this morning that the graves of Cilla Black and Sir Ken Dodd had been vandalised overnight. Staff are carrying out repairs.

(Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

"We would urge anyone who has any information about the person or people responsible to contact the police.”

Sir Ken died on March 18, 2018, aged 90, at his home in Knotty Ash, the same home in which he was born and raised.

He was laid to rest, alongside his mother Sarah and father Arthur, in a private burial service at Allerton Cemetery in Liverpool.

(Getty Images)

Cilla, meanwhile, was buried just feet from her parents’ graves, and her headstone is a marble memorial which describes her as a “devoted mother and grandmother”.

Cilla died in August 2015 aged 72 and her headstone carries her name ‘Cilla Black OBE’ above the single word: “Singer”.

The headstone also gives her full name, Priscilla Maria Veronica Willis, nee White, and gives her date of birth and death: May 27, 1943 and August 1, 2015.

(Getty Images)

It reads: “Beloved wife of Bobby, Devoted mother and grandmother. She celebrated life to the living of it and loved to entertain.”

The headstone also features lyrics from some of Cilla’s most famous songs, Step Inside Love, Alfie and You’re My World.

Cilla died from a stroke in August at her villa in Spain, after losing her balance and falling while sunbathing.

Her funeral was held at St Mary’s Church, Woolton - where she married her late husband Bobby Willis in 1969.

Merseyside Police were approached for comment in relation to the vandalism.

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