An elderly Bradford couple have been forced to leave notes on their daughters’ graves, pleading with thieves to leave them be.

Catherine Pearson and her sister Sally Armstrong died within 18 months of each other, Catherine of a brain haemorrhage and Sally of cancer. Both were aged just 49.

Their parents, Lawrence and Pat Greaves, tend their graves, which are next to each other in North Bierley Cemetery, Bradford.

They have placed solar lanterns to illuminate their daughters’ headstones and placed seasonal flowers in troughs at the grave sides.

But thieves have struck numerous times over the past two years.

Mr Greaves, 80, of Back Lane, Clayton Heights, is now urging whoever it is who is stealing the items to show some respect for the wishes of the families of those buried in the cemetery.

“Our daughters died a few years ago and neither of them reached 50,” said Mr Greaves.

“They are buried next to each other and we have tried to keep the graves tidy to show people that we have not forgotten them but this keeps happening and is hurtful to us and our family.

“You have got to get on with life but this is the last service you can perform for your children.

“People need to realise that it could be their parents or loved ones.”

The thefts started about 18 months ago when a pair of solar lanterns and plants went missing.

More plants were taken over the past few months and in the last fortnight a trough of flowers was stolen.

Mr Greaves said: “I walked around the graveyard in case anybody had just put it somewhere else but it certainly was not there.

“We guessed then that, due to its weight, the trough was probably taken away in somebody’s car boot.”

He said he spoke to a superintendent who told him there had been no similar thefts reported. But he said: “A lot of people might have had things taken but not mentioned it to anybody.

“It is distressing that this keeps happening. People need to have a little bit more respect.”

Bradford Council’s bereavement services manager Antonio Smith said: “We sympathise with anyone who has suffered a theft from the grave of a loved one. Our neighbourhood wardens routinely patrol cemeteries and we make them as secure as possible but all items are left on graves at the owner’s risk.

“We are not aware of a particular problem with thefts from North Bierley Cemetery.”