Ornaments smashed in shocking vandal attack at Edinburgh's Eastern cemetery

Children had gone to pottery class to make ceramic figures for their dad's grave

RELATIVES visiting an Edinburgh cemetery were shocked to find ornaments left on the graves had been smashed in a vandal attack.

One woman, who had gone to visit her husband's grave on the anniversary of his death, said ceramic figures made by her two children had been destroyed. Ornaments and vases at other nearby graves had also been damaged and scattered, she said.

The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said her husband had died eight years ago and her children, who were young at the time, had gone to pottery classes to make the ceramic figures to mark his grave.

The children had gone to pottery classes to make the ceramic figures

Mary Fairbairn, managing director of the Eastern Cemetery Co Ltd, which runs the cemetery, said the vandalism had been discovered when staff began work this morning.

"I was on the phone reporting it to the police when the lady came to the office. She said it was an anniversary, so it was particularly poignant.

"She said there were beer bottles scattered everywhere. The weather was miserable on Saturday, but yesterday was better so I think it must have happened then."

Ms Fairbairn said there had been no similar incidents for a long time. She estimated about half a dozen graves had been affected.

She said: "I feel very upset for people coming in to visit. It's a very emotional thing when you come to visit anyway. It's upsetting to think someone would damage something left on a grave."