POLICE are hunting a gang of vandals who ran amok in an Island cemetery, damaging around 50 headstones.

The damage, which will cost about £60,000 to repair, has left relatives of those buried at Ryde Cemetery devastated - and facing the cost of replacing the stones.

Vandals destroyed some of the graves by forcing them over while obscene and blasphemous messages were daubed on others.

Stone crucifixes were singled out and one of the graves, dated 1901, was found in 15 pieces.

Rob Owen, the Island council's head of consumer protection, described the vandalism as disgusting.

Derek Bean, a cemetery inspector, who assessed 33 damaged memorials in one plot alone, said: "It was unbelievable - the worst case of cemetery vandalism I've ever seen.

"We now have the job of trying to track down the families of the deceased whose graves were damaged."

One relative, Tessa Reid, of Binstead Lodge Road, was appalled to see her uncle's grave among those damaged when she visited to pay her respects.

She said: "I cannot believe what would come over individuals to do such a thing.

"I haven't felt safe visiting that cemetery for years. At one time you could feel peace there and reflect."

Ryde council member Ian Stephens, who heads the Friends of Ryde Cemetery group, was one of the first to view the damage.

He said: "I'm pig sick. I couldn't sleep that night after seeing the devastation - it was a heartbreaking sight caused by nothing more than mindless vandalism."

He added: "The warning bells have been ringing for some time.

"For some people whose loved ones are buried there, it's virtually going to be the end of their world.

"The families will no doubt have to pay for the damage - it's a great tragedy.

"It makes you feel empty inside.

"There is nothing anyone can say to you to make you feel better after something like this."

Cllr Stephens hoped money could be found to boost security at the cemetery by installing CCTV cameras and putting up new gates.

He also called on the police to increase patrols in the area.