A WORTHING family has been left devastated after sentimental gifts were stolen from their loved-one's grave.
Peggy Godden, 45, of Tarring Road, along with her two daughters, Holly, seven, and Lucy, nine, and brother-in-law Gary Godden, visit the grave of her husband Tony, 44, at Durrington cemetery every week to tend to it and the gifts left there.
But a visit to the grave at the start of the month left them shattered after they discovered two scarecrows and a metalwork butterfly had been stolen.
Sentimental valuePeggy, who is trying to shield her daughters from finding out about the theft, said: "I am so angry.
"The things taken had no real monetary value, but they were sentimental.
"It was made worse by the fact I discovered what had happened on our 13th anniversary."
Lost respectGary said: "We have all had enough to go through without this. Sadly, people seem to have lost respect for each other."
Peggy, whose husband died suddenly on December 9, discovered the theft on June 8.
The family are now campaigning for the cemetery gates to be locked after 6pm, when they should be, as they believe they are being left open.
Ian Rudkin, of Worthing Crematorium and cemeteries, said: "Stealing from graves is the lowest of the low.
"The gates on Parham Road and Crockhurst Hill should be locked and we are in talks with the contractors to make sure this is happening. But the thefts could happen at any time of the day."
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