A cemetery in Dundee’s east end has become the latest to be targeted by vandals.
Dozens of headstones at the Eastern Cemetery have been toppled or damaged after a rampage over the weekend.
Dundee City Council said it would report the matter to Tayside Police.
Many of the headstones have been toppled completely while others have sustained superficial and structural damage.
At first it was thought the damage may have been caused by high winds last week. However, as staff surveyed the scene on Monday it became apparent the damage was the result of vandals, which will bring heartache to many families.
One visitor to the cemetery contacted The Courier after discovering two of his family’s headstones had been toppled.
Bisset Hutchison (66), from Menzieshill, said he was ”shocked” by what he saw.
”I’ve never known anything like this to happen before,” he said. ”I tend to pop up about once a month to give the graves a quick clean.
”It was just as I was walking up to the graves that I noticed the damage. There were footprints on both stones, so I know it was vandals that did it.
”If you look carefully you can see where they’ve been kicked.”
The older part of the graveyard, situated on a small hill, appears to have borne the brunt of the destruction with rows of headstones having collapsed or been damaged.
The newer, northern part of the cemetery has also experienced some damage, though not nearly on such a large scale.
Councillor George Regan voiced his anger over the news, and has urged people to help trace those responsible.
”It really is shocking,” he said. ”I don’t know how any enjoyment can be derived from this kind of act. It’s sheer madness, and I hope that the perpetrators are caught and dealt with accordingly.
”I would call for any community member who has any idea of who carried this out to assist the police with their investigation.”
Dundee City Council, which maintains the cemetery, said it will attempt to contact the families of those whose headstones are affected.
Anybody with who has any information that could help Tayside Police is asked to call 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.