Darwen’s two cemeteries have been thankfully free of vandalism, apart from the Council – inspired flattening and wrecking of dozens of headstone a few years ago in the imagined interests of “elf”n’safety.”
Until Thursday evening, October 27, when eight headstones in the Eastern Cemetery were kicked over by young scrotes. Fortunately none of the headstones appear to have been broken and no doubt they can be stood up again.
Police are investigating and are confident that they will find those responsible.
There was a similar incident in Great Harwood a couple of days later where one councillor said those responsible should be “birched on the town gates.”
No doubt his plan will shock the namby-pambies and the do-gooders. Most reasonable people will hail an excellent idea.
A spokesman for the Friends of Darwen Cemetery said: “There was probably a small group of yobs and not all of them would have been responsible for this wanton vandalism. It only needs one of those kids, someone who does know right from wrong, to make one phone call and mention a few names.”
And he urged: “Do it. Do it now.”
A visitor to the Cemetery, a young man, had little faith in the justice system making an example of the vandals. “All it needs is for the names of those who have done this to be passed round. People will know who they are. A lot of hefty young lads have relatives buried in the two cemeteries and they would be happy to meet up with them and, er, ask them politely not to do it again.”
Another visitor, an elderly woman, commented: “When you look at those headstones lying flat you have to think that it wouldn’t have taken much to shove them over. The bases look very weak. But I suppose that when they were erected vandalism wasn’t as rife as it is now.”
FODC November 2011.