Grave desecration shocks

A Masterton woman has been left feeling "sick" after the desecration of her parents' graves in the Archer St cemetery.

Lorraine Crothers and her family are regular visitors to the cemetery and want to know how the graves were damaged.

Her father's headstone has been knocked and is no longer secure to the base, the edge of the base has had the corners damaged and a plaque between the two is completely loose.

"It must have taken a hell of a bang," she said. "I'm glad they didn't break the plaque."

Mrs Crothers called Masterton District Council last Monday to complain about the issue.

"I couldn't have got a better response".

She suspected the damage had been caused by mowers, but the council, after getting in touch with contractors, said this was not the case.

As a gesture of goodwill, the council has offered to repair the site, but Mrs Crothers still wants to know how the damage occurred.

"To me, this is the one sacred place in the world," she said.

"You don't do anything disrespectful."

Council communications adviser Sam Rossiter-Stead said the council did not know what had caused the damage.

He confirmed council would repair the site.