Rotorua woman disgusted after discovering damaged gravestones

Damaged gravestones at Kauae Cemetery. Photo / Supplied

A Rotorua woman is disgusted after discovering damaged gravestones at Kauae Cemetery.

Davina Trebilock visited the cemetery in Ngongotahā on Anzac Day to visit her mother and father's graves.

She said while there she found about five headstones all knocked over, and then saw parts of a car.

"It's a mess up there. They've gone up over the hill and taken about five headstones out.

Damaged gravestones at Kauae Cemetery. Photo / Supplied

"I lost it, I was crying. When you go up there and see that sort of damage done to headstones, that's just having no respect.

"It's disgusting," she said.

Trebilock said she was glad it did not happen to her mother and father's gravestones.

She has contacted Rotorua Lakes Council and the Rotorua police about the damage.

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokeswoman said after hours contractors notified council earlier last week after the police had reported to them that several gravestones had been damaged and a car bumper had been left at the scene.

She said Infracore staff had inspected and confirmed four headstones had been damaged.

It is likely that a stone mason will need to be contracted to lift the stones due to their weight, she said.

Damaged gravestones at Kauae Cemetery. Photo / Supplied

She said the headstones were in the older part of the cemetery and could be more than 30 years old.

Staff were now working through the process of identifying family members so they could be notified, she said.

Police have been approached for comment.