SICK vandals went on the rampage at a cemetery smashing or knocking over the headstones on more than 60 graves.

The heartbreaking trail of devastation at Hollybrook cemetery in Southampton was discovered yesterday morning by gatekeeper Bill England.

The grave of his own wife Rosemary was among those vandalised by the gang.

"I went past on my way to open the far gate when I noticed that something was wrong," said 63-year-old Mr England of Holbury.

"The large granite cross on top of the family plot had been knocked over and then I began to realise that a lot of other graves had also been vandalised. I just cannot understand how anyone could do such a thing."

Mrs England died in 1980 at the age of just 32 from a lung disease which also claimed the life of her brother Tony Vinall three years ago.

They are buried in the same plot as their father, Anthony Vinall, who died in 1969.

He trained as an RAF pilot before being invalided out of the service during the Second World War. Last surviving daughter Susan Lethbridge of Meon Road, Romsey, said: "This is bad enough but to vandalise these graves on Armistice Day is just awful.

"The cross was pushed onto the grave of my brother and sister knocking three or four big pieces off the headstone.

"I just do not know what goes through the mind of people who do this, or what sort of a buzz they can possibly get out of bringing so much pain to people.

"You feel as if you have been violated. Words cannot describe it. I just hope that those who did this might read the Echo and realise that these are not just pieces of stone."

Southampton city council cemetery staff went through Hollybrook and found a staggering 64 vandalised graves.

A spokesman said: "A number of gravestones were pushed over at some time during the night by a person, or persons, who climbed a six-foot-high chain-link fence to gain access to the cemetery. The gates to the cemetery were locked, as they usually are overnight.

"Staff from the city council are currently compiling a list of the gravestones which have been vandalised, and from this every effort will be made to contact relatives of the bereaved."

Just six weeks ago nearly 50 windows in the cemetery chapel were smashed over three weekends of vandalism.

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