A GRIEVING mum was devastated to find louts had robbed her son's grave.

Every Sunday for the past three years Tyldesley mother Susan Woodcock has visited her son David's burial place.

But last weekend Susan, her mum and sister were appalled when they went to Tyldesley Cemetery to find ornaments missing.

"David was mad about animals," said Susan, of Derwent Street, whose 15 year-old son drowned in the Leeds-Liverpool canal in August 1996.

"Family and friends had over a period of time taken animal figure ornaments to put on his grave.

"How could anybody steal from a grave? It hurts to think the figures have ended up at a car boot sale or in somebody's garden. It's awful."

And David's relatives were disgusted at the behaviour of youngsters in the cemetery.

"I couldn't believe it," added an angry Susan. "A group of youngsters were using gravestones as football goalposts and some teenagers were trying to chip names off the war memorial.

"I think it's time security was stepped-up."

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