A WOMAN was left deeply upset after discovering that her mother's grave had been vandalised.

Margaret Stirrup of Abermorddu visited the cemetery at the Parish Church of Saint Deiniol and Saint Marcella in Marchwiel on Sunday.

She had gone to lay a wreath on the grave of her mother Megan Bielawski, who served as a nurse in the Wrexham area and died on in November 2016 aged 90.

But Mrs Stirrup, aged 69, and her husband Paul were left shocked after realising a heavy marble memory pot which had contained flowers had been removed from the grave and was nowhere to be seen.

She said: "There are another two pots there - one for my dad George Bielawski and one for my brother Michael John.

"But this one in the middle was for my mum and it was from her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

"I looked behind the other two pots, behind the grave, in the bins - it was gone. I just stood there in shock."

It wasn't until the couple checked behind one of the cemetery walls that they found the pot.

Mrs Stirrup told the Leader: "There it was, on the other side with the flowers.

"It was unbelievable that someone would do that. I was too upset to touch it.

"I went to my sister Susan's and we were both very upset.

"I rang the police and told them what had happened. They said they would not be able to get fingerprints from it because there had been horrendous rain so I said I would speak to the vicar.

"We have left the pot there and the vicar knows it is there - it is still upsetting, we don't know what to do.

"How could they do that? That is my mum and dad's grave. I just have no words."

Mrs Stirrup said she wanted to warn other members of the community to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour around the cemetery to the police.

She said she has not reported the matter to Marchwiel Community Council - which the church informed her owns the part of the cemetery in which her mother is buried - as yet.

Marchwiel Community Council has been approached by the Leader for a comment.