Mother's anger at grave vandalism

A grieving mother from Coventry says she is heartbroken that her son's grave was vandalised.

Siobhan Holland, 19, from Binley, went to the Canley Cemetery with friends and family to mark what would have been Josh's first birthday.

She found that the toys and mementos the family had left were stolen and the vandals had trampled on what was left.

At least two other graves in the children's section were reported to have had items stolen.

Ms Holland told BBC News: "We found everything had gone. Everything was trashed. It was really hard and that's hurt more me than his first birthday - that was lovely, and we celebrated it.

"I'm so upset and angry."

Councillor Kevin Foster, cabinet member for city services, deals with bereavement services.

He said security measures should not be used to turn cemeteries into fortresses.

"We'll always have to strike a slight balance.

"Some of the security methods we'd perhaps use in other areas getting vandalised, for example palisade fencing, we're very loathe to put into our cemeteries."