Family’s horror as ‘lowest of low’ smash headstone
THE family of a former footballer in Caerphilly have said they are “devastated” after his headstone was smashed.
Wayne Edwards took his own life on July 13, 2016, aged 29. He spent a decade playing for his local club Aberbargoed Buds.
The former midfielder’s headstone at Bedwellty Cemetery was found smashed on Monday, and his uncle Chris Postians said his family were “devastated”.
“Someone from the council came around and told us the news on Monday morning. We went up there and a lady who had been there on Sunday afternoon told us it hadn’t been like that then.
“The graveyard attendant there said he’d never seen a headstone smashed like that in 40 years.
“I can’t understand why someone would do something like this. My sister is reliving his death now, it’s getting near the anniversary which is always hard enough as it is, and this just makes it harder. His three brothers are devastated, too.”
Since the incident occurred, members of Wayne’s former club have raised more than £1,100 on GoFundMe for a replacement headstone for their team-mate, who was known as “Chippy”.
“I coached him for a few years, and he was a tough-tackling midfielder,” Chris said of his nephew.
“The response in the last few days shows how much he was liked – he was a caring individual and an all-around nice guy. It shows there are still wonderful people in the world.
“I’ve no idea who did it, but to desecrate someone’s grave like that is the lowest of the low.
“Hopefully, it wasn’t malicious and was a random act of vandalism. The graveyard is out of the way, it’s not somewhere you’d pass by.”
A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: “We have received a report of damage caused to a headstone at a cemetery in Bedwellty. The damage is believed to have been caused sometime between 11pm on 26 and 7am on 29 June.
“Anyone with information relating to this is asked to call 101 quoting 2000229455 or direct message on Facebook or Twitter.”