Chelmsford family 'devastated' by vandals targeting mum's grave

Great Baddow Parish Council said it was aware of thefts taking place at the cemetery

A grieving daughter said she has been unable to honour her late mum's wish due to repeated vandalism at her grave.

Michelle buried her mother at Galleywood and Great Baddow Lawns Cemetery, Chelmsford, after her death seven months ago.

She said the grave had been targeted three times in seven months by vandals who had stolen and broken solar lights placed there at her mother's request.

The daughter, from Chelmsford, said the family was "devastated".

"You can't get your head around the fact someone would steal from a grave," said Michelle, who did not wish to give her surname.

"Mum just wanted the solar lights; that's all she wanted. This was the final thing you could do for mum - to make her resting place nice."

Michelle, from Chelmsford, said her mother was buried at the cemetery after her death seven months ago

Michelle said her father welded the lights in place, but on Sunday he arrived to find more had been stolen and everything that could not be removed had been broken.

She added that the family wanted to reinstall the decorations, but feared they would just face yet more heartache.

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"It looks really plain at the moment and I know mum wouldn't have wanted that," said Michelle.

Great Baddow Parish Council, which manages the cemetery, said it was aware of two incidents of theft over the past few days.

It said it was looking into the reports and advised anyone with a concern to direct it to Essex Police.