RED roses laid on a Rishton man’s grave on the first Valentine’s Day since his death were stolen.

Anne Taylor placed the £42 bouquet of roses beside the headstone of her late husband John, only to return the following day and find the flowers gone.

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The 63-year-old, who undergoes kidney dialysis three times a week, described the thief, who struck at Great Harwood Cemetery, as a lowlife.

The accountant, of Rishton, said: “They could see John had only recently died. The flowers were for him, not for a girlfriend or somebody else.

“I wanted to keep his grave nice. The fact they have taken the flowers is upsetting.

“I could not stop crying because it was such a shock. It makes me cry just going to the grave — but to see the flowers gone was terrible. Were you given these flowers? If so, this is the grave they were taken from.”

Mrs Taylor, who met her husband of 34 years at the Arcadian Ballroom, in Knowlmere Street, Accrington, more than four decades ago, laid the flowers on the grave on the morning of Saturday, February 14, before going home for her dialysis.

When she went back to the grave the next day, the flowers were gone and a card she had written to her husband had been picked off the bunch and placed in a pot nearby.

One of Mrs Taylor’s neighbours called police in “disgust” after consoling her.

Great Harwood councillor Noordad Aziz said: “It is despicable that somebody would go to a graveside and steal flowers. It is disgusting. To think somebody would stoop so low really saddens me and I will call the policing team and see what can be done.”

Parks boss Ken Moss said: “It is particularly sad that somebody has seen fit to steal the bouquet, presumably as a Valentine’s Day gift.”

Mr Taylor was a professional dancer who taught at venues across Hyndburn. He died on August 19, aged 72. Anyone with information about the theft of the flowers can call police on 101.