HEARTLESS grave robbers have returned to steal precious stone religious relics from a graveyard.

Keighley's Utley Cemetery, in Skipton Road, has been the focus of frequent thefts and vandalism in the past.

Christine Dobson, a member of the voluntary Friends of Utley Cemetery group, said the latest spate of destruction at the Bradford Council-owned graveyard had taken place over the last few days.

“They’ve come back again and stolen large stone urns from the top of tombs and graves and also taken stonework from the chapel," she said.

“We all feel disgusted that people can go and rob the dead and desecrate their resting places like this.

“England is the worst place in the world for the way it treats its cemeteries and graveyards.

“The dead are not honoured in England.

“We have all this pomp and ceremony for things like the anniversary of the First World War – but the graves themselves are all just left to rot.”

“There’s no respect – it’s all gone.”

Mrs Dobson said thefts from the cemetery had increased during the last eight weeks, but noted that the site had been particularly badly hit over the last few days.

“It’s been reported by a chap who visits his wife’s grave every morning," she said.

“It’s a constant battle against these people.”

Friends group chairman Kathrine Roberts said she was aware of the latest damage, adding that objects taken included stone urns and plastic flower vases.

"When you see the amount of hard work volunteers do to keep the cemetery looking nice, it's just soul destroying," she said.

"A lot of people are very distressed about it.

"The drug dealing which took place in the cemetery doesn't seem as prevalent as it used to be, but you never know when it can flare up again.

"We want to have these thefts nipped in the bud, because if we don't do anything they'll just carry on."

Mrs Roberts, who is also a Keighley town councillor, said she and her colleagues were still attempting to have lighting installed in the graveyard to deter criminals after dark.

She said the friends group would also like new signage and road markings.

A spokesman for Bradford Council responded that its officers were looking into the most recent reports of damage.

Utley Cemetery was badly hit by stone theft in early 2014 when criminals wrenched decorative features off a number of monuments, including a large statue of Jesus from the historic 119-year-old Butterfield Chapel.

On that occasion the thieves were unable to remove their haul of stone from the site. The statue taken from the Butterfield Chapel was restored to its rightful place by contractors earlier this year.