Grieving daughter left shaken after mum's Eltham grave vandalised

Denise Thornberry’s mum has been buried at Eltham Cemetery for the past seven years, and Denise and her husband go to visit her beloved mum there three times a week.

Like most weekends, Denise arrived at her mums grave on Saturday, February 3 at 2.30pm with a bunch of flowers, but to her dismay, she discovered all of her mum’s vases and solar lights had been stolen.

Denise claims that all the flowers that were situated on her mum’s grave were also dumped to the side and disregarded.

“My mum is not ‘resting in peace now’, it’s just heart breaking” Denise told the News Shopper.

A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said any theft is “intolerable” and the Council is “ready to assist the police” if any investigation into this incident takes place.

Denise claims that the last time she went to visit her mum was just three days before, on the Wednesday, when the grave was intact, and covered in dozens of bright flowers, as expected.

Denise's mum's grave before the vandalism (Image: Denise Thornberry)

Denise said: “It might seem weird, but I am still grieving for her.

“I thought some of the flowers may have been blown over because of the wind, but when I looked at the grave, I thought it looked bare.

“Mum’s grave is usually covered in flowers - it might seem excessive to some people, but some days we’re buying 12 bunches as I feel like I am giving my mum something all the time.

“They had emptied all of the flowers out of the vases and took them, I was shaking and crying.

“I call it my mums home and it was like somebody had ransacked it.”

A Council spokesperson said they are “appalled” that someone would be “heartless enough” to steal a memorial from someone's grave.

After the vandalism (Image: Denise Thornberry)

“Our thoughts are with the family affected by this heinous act of vandalism”, the spokesperson added.

After replacing the vases, Denise and her partner noticed that the solar spotlights surrounding the grave had also been stolen, and the fake turf around her mums grave had been “cut back” so the spotlights could be accessed.

Denise added: “I just couldn’t believe the lowlife and how someone could be so wicked.

“I have notified the cemetery asking if they had CCTV, but I have had no response.

“I have not slept since Saturday because I am so upset with it all.

“My dad is 92, and he is really upset to think someone could do this.”