A GRANDSON has been left distraught after a cemetery fire, thought to have been started on purpose, destroyed the sentimental items placed on his grandfather’s grave.

Tyron Patrick said the damage caused by the fire at St John’s Cemetery had hit his family with significant emotional distress, particularly his grandmother.

He said: “This experience has caused further grief for myself and my family. Somewhere we go to grieve has been destroyed.

“I visited to see if my grandfather’s plot was damaged – sadly it is not just plant pots and areas around the graves that have been affected. I was met with damage to the wooden area placed around my grandfather’s grave and to all of the ornaments and sentimental things placed by members of my family since his burial.

“The damage isn’t substantial but enough to require repairs and buying new items for the grave. The bench next to the grave has also been destroyed, somewhere we sit to think of the memories we have of him.

“I was so upset seeing it damaged from the fire and my grandmother and family are distraught, especially from the fact that the lockdown has prevented them from going to see him.”

Mr Patrick said he visited the cemetery to check for damage after reading our report on the fire at St John’s Cemetery.

The fire, on May 24, set fifteen square metres of bushes and trees alight and three fire engines were called to the scene.

A spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called at 10.55pm to a fire in Mcintyre Road, Worcester. The fire was in the cemetery, no graves were damaged but some plantpots and areas around graves caught alight. Firefighters tackled the blaze with two jets and a hose reel. They came away from the scene at 11.30pm and do not feel they need to return to assess the area again.”

Richard Udall, a St John’s councillor said: “Early indications point to someone setting fire to a dog poo bin and the fire spreading to trees and vegetation.

“A mindless thug clearly gained some perverse satisfaction from what happened, but many St John’s residents watched in horror and were worried about damage to loved ones graves.

“Thanks to the early intervention of the fire service no damage took place to graves, but it could have been a lot worse. It was very distressing to many people.

“I have asked for a review of street lights in Meco alley to ensure they are all working.

“Work is due to start soon on the housing construction and the new park. Hopefully this will improve usage and be a deterrent against future vandalism.”

A spokesman for the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said they were not able to confirm the cause of the fire.