'It's disgusting - it's horrible to think someone would do that to a child's grave'

Families have been left in tears after vandals trashed and 'burned' gravestones at a cemetery.

Yobs are believed to have targeted more than 30 headstones at Stretford Cemetery in recent weeks.

Sculptures and ornaments have been ripped from some while one man, who asked not to be named, said two graves belonging to his loved ones had suffered fire damage after having been 'burned'.

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One grave, which belonged to a young family member, was also 'smashed into tiny little pieces' during a spate of vandalism last weekend, he said.

"It's disgusting," said the man. "It's horrible to think someone would do that, especially to target a child's grave.

"What would go through someone's mind to do this? It's almost sadistic. This is a place where people go to pay their respects."

Some of the items ripped from graves at the cemetery in recent weeks (Collect Unknown)

Vicki O'Sullivan said an angel sculpture was smashed from her mother's headstone. Ms O'Sullivan's husband, who is a groundsman at the cemetery, first discovered damage to a number of graves on May 14.

After she took to Facebook to warn people, other families discovered that their loved ones' resting places had also been targeted.

"It's soul-destroying," said Ms O'Sullivan. "People are so angry and upset.

"There's no words that can explain what families are going through and the sense of devastation we have seen. Some of these items are years old and can't be replaced.

Several graves have been smashed in recent weeks (Collect Unknown)

"The whole weekend has just been dealing with families who are absolutely broken-hearted. We've had grown men crying their eyes out.

"Somebody knows who is doing this. It's got to be more than one person because it's a big area to go round causing that kind of carnage."

Greater Manchester Police has been approached for further information.

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