Daughter distraught after graveside theft

A FINTRY woman said she “broke down in tears” after lights were stolen and flowers destroyed at her father’s graveside.

Isobel Tennent buried her dad Joe in Barnhill Cemetery just five weeks ago – but says the graveyard is plagued with dog fouling, and says she and others have had items stolen.

Joe Tennent was taken into hospital with an infection and told he had cancer. He died just two days later on July 7.

Daughter Isobel now wants to see the cemetery gates locked overnight and signs put up banning dogs.

She said: “Since we buried Dad on July 17 there has been nothing but people getting flowers stolen and dogs running about. We have not got a headstone up yet, so we put down some lights on Monday. When my sister went up at 7pm that evening they were gone.

“One guy even let his dog run through my dad’s wreath and there were other dogs peeing all over the place.

“I broke down in tears because I couldn’t believe someone would steal lights from a graveside. My mum has had to go into hospital after everything that has happened.

“In my opinion, dogs shouldn’t be allowed into a cemetery.

“There was one lady there last week who was there for her dad’s anniversary and she had a bouquet delivered, but it had been stolen off the grave – she had been there the whole day looking for it.”

Isobel said she was reluctant to put anything down on the grave now.

She added:“It is sad for someone to do that in a graveyard, some people have no respect whatsoever.

“I hope they have bad luck for the rest of their lives – people have spent time making the graves all nice.

“The gates should be locked at night and there should be a notice to say no dogs allowed or at least have them on a lead. Barnhill is not a park, it is a cemetery.”

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “We will contact the individual directly.”

Joe Tennent was only buried at Barnhill Cemetery last month.