People arrange for flowers to be sent to funerals because they are considered to be a fitting tribute to the person who has died. Also, they lighten the sombreness of the occasion.

The flowers at the funeral of 81-year-old widow Alice Clarke had an even more special meaning. Mrs Clarke loved flowers. Garden centres were among her favourite places to visit. She had green fingers, and many years ago had planted a tree in a Cottingley field which thrived despite once being blown over by the wind.

It was at the foot of this tree that the local family who had "adopted" Mrs Clarke as a mum and grandmother wanted to place the special flower arrangements they had bought for her funeral. Unfortunately, a thief or thieves had different plans for them.

While the family were having a post-funeral lunch at a nearby hotel, before returning to Nab Wood crematorium to collect their floral tributes, the baskets of flowers and bouquets were taken from the garden of remembrance. It is hardly surprising that they are upset.

Any theft of flowers from cemeteries and crematoria is appallingly insensitive. The conclusion in this case has to be either that the theft was pre-planned or that it was carried out by opportunists for profit or out of wickedness.

It clearly is not practicable in these times of thinly-spread resources for crematoria to employ security staff to protect floral tributes. We must hope, instead, that those who stole the tributes - or those who know who they are - are shamed into calling a halt to this callous activity.