A FAMILY has been left distraught after two graves were vandalised in Farnworth Cemetery this week.

Kathleen Worsley was visiting the graves of her family members yesterday to do some cleaning and restoration work.

She was horrified to discover that the headstones of two of her beloved family members had been trashed.

Ms Worsley’s nephew, Paul Picton, died aged 40 while her disabled brother-in-law Phillip ‘Pip’ Dorsette died in his 50s, just nine months apart in 2010.

Eleven years later, vandals have targeted the plot where several of the family members have been laid to rest.

The family believes the incident happened in the middle of the night, as normally dozens of people can be seen in the graveyard during the day, for funerals and visits to headstones.

Fairy ornaments have been smashed and flowers have been ripped from their roots, according to Ms Worsley.

She said: “We’re absolutely distraught as a family.

“I have no idea what would possess someone to do something like this.

“We had been down last week to put England flags around the graves ahead of the Germnay game, as they were both footballers - and these have both been vandalised too.

“I’m sure anger or whatever may have happened could have been vented elsewhere and not in a place of rest.

“We’re a big family in Farnworth - everyone knows us but we have no idea who would do something as low as this.”

The family has been in contact with the police and with the manager of the cemetery in an attempt to find out more information about what happened.

Ms Worsley added: “My sister makes all the flowers for the graves, and she couldn’t even go down to visit yesterday - she was in tears.

“I hope the vandals can live with themselves and what they’ve done.

“Those boys never done anything to hurt anyone - and we’re all so upset by this.

“We really hope that whoever did this realises the extent of the damage that they’ve caused - not just to the gravestones but to the family.

“The vandals need to own up to what they’ve done.”

Anyone with information should contact the police on the non-emergency number 101 using the crime reference number CRI/06KK/0018809/21.