Memorial vandals leave family heartbroken

The bench had been decorated to mark Halloween when vandals scratched their "horrible" message

The family of a teenage crash victim say they are heartbroken after a memorial bench to her was vandalised.

Liberty Charris, 16, was killed on the A457 Oldbury Road, in November last year.

The bench was damaged twice after Liberty's mother decided to decorate the tribute, at Gornal Wood Crematorium, to mark Halloween.

Dudley Council, which runs the cemetery, has offered to replace the bench.

The bench was set up in memory of Liberty Charris, who died in a car crash last year

One note placed on the bench read: "This is a bench, not a shrine."

Liberty's aunt Gemma Perry said the bench had helped her family grieve and questioned why vandals would target it.

"It's horrible, they just don't care about anybody else," she said.

Ms Perry said her sister makes daily visits to the bench as it gives her something to do as she mourns the loss of her daughter.

Liberty was described by her family as a "hilarious, typical 16-year-old".

"We just want to keep something going in her memory," said Ms Perry.

Dudley council leader Patrick Harley said he was appalled by the damage to the bench.

"The families have suffered enough without this type of senseless and mindless vandalism," he said.