A RETIRED police officer has hit out at vandals who have caused “a desecration” to his parents’ grave, including the theft of an 18-inch tall solid bronze statue.

The resting place of Anthony Hindle’s parents at Nab Wood Cemetery, Shipley, is one of a number of graves in one area of the cemetery that have been damaged or destroyed by vandals in the past couple of weeks.

Mr Hindle, a former police officer who lives in Brighouse, said he first became aware of the damage when his sister, who lives in Thornton, visited the grave and saw what had happened.

He said: “My parents are buried at Nab Wood, and on an almost nightly basis there are groups of youths gathering there.

“Beer cans, syringes and drug paraphernalia are being left in the cemetery by them. It’s a desecration.

“My parents’ grave had an 18-inch tall solid bronze statue of Our Lady that cost £500, that has been stolen, and it’s clearly this group of yobs.

“It’s clearly been stolen to sell on then get melted down, and the marble on our parents’ grave has also been damaged too.

“Talking to other people, it seems to have gone on for ages.

“Words fail me regarding what has taken place and the complete disregard of the obvious distress that will be caused to those who visit the graves of loved ones and find the damage.

“It is vandalism, criminal damage and anti-social behaviour by the group of youths.

“Catching them will be a miracle, it is disgraceful.

“A replacement gravestone would cost hundreds of pounds, and some of the other gravestones would have cost thousands of pounds to put in.

“They use a path from down by the river to get in there, but its a public bridleway so can’t be blocked off. This is an isolated spot and clearly drink and drug misuse is prevalent.”

Inspector Julie Deacon, of Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Damage to gravestones or memorials or thefts of items from them are highly emotive offences which understandably cause great upset to victims and relatives.

“The NPT will be conducting enhanced patrols around the graveyard and we would ask anyone who has information about the theft of a statue from a gravestone in Nab Wood cemetery between February 13 and February 15 or of vandalism offences there to contact the Shipley NPT on 101 referencing crime number 13190084707.

“Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

A Bradford Council spokesperson added: “We investigated reports of criminal damage at Nab Wood cemetery and after two separate and thorough inspections of the grounds we could find no evidence of criminal damage or vandalism.

“Although rare, we take reports of criminal activity in our cemeteries very seriously and we have advised cemetery staff to be extra vigilant at this time.”