Rusty shotguns left at graveyard

Rubbish dumped at the Riverside Cemetery, Masterton.

Three double-barrelled shotguns were among a truckload of rubbish dumped at a Wairarapa cemetery.

Each of the three rusted weapons dumped at Riverside Cemetery on Wednesday were in two pieces.

Masterton police officer Sergeant Simon Irving said the weapons were not a danger, being so badly rusted and dilapidated.

They were estimated to be 60 to 100 years old.

"I have to send them to the armourer, but they would be unable to clean them up," he said.

He thought someone had cleaned out an old outdoor shed but was upset the cemetery had been used as a dumping ground.

"It's supposed to be a sanctuary - obviously not a sanctuary for everybody."

Masterton District Council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead said the police had collected the shotguns by the time a clean-up crew arrived.

He said Riverside Cemetery was a "very unusual" dumping spot for illegal tippers.