A GRIEVING son has spoken of his shock after being told his father's grave had been attacked by vandals just hours after the funeral.

Dozens of graves at Great Malvern Cemetery were destroyed during the attack, with headstones smashed and floral tributes scattered. Beer bottles were also left smashed at the scene.

Kenneth Stallard was among the relatives at the cemetery on Friday, his father Leonard having only been laid to rest the previous day.

He arrived at the grave to find that all the floral tributes left for his father had been destroyed and strewn over a wide area.

"I just can't believe it, I'm totally drained," he said. "He was born and bred in Malvern and never did anything to anybody. For this to happen on the day he's buried is absolutely devastating. The whole family's going to be absolutely devastated."

John Nolan's wife Mary was buried in 2001. The vandals tore a handmade wooden cross marking her grave from the ground. The monument was made by his son to mark her resting place and was set in concrete. Mr Nolan, an ex-prison officer, said he was shocked that someone would do such a thing.

"It took some strength I tell you. They can't blame kids for this one, it was yobs. They should bring back capital punishment."

The overnight attack was discovered early on Friday (May 31) when Sarah Whyman, Malvern Town Council's temporary operations supervisor, turned up at the cemetery to start work. She said she had never seen anything like it.

Council workers spent the day clearing up the wreckage. The authority said it would cover the cost of the damage and town clerk Shirley Young vowed to work with the police to catch those responsible.

"It looks like they had a party and knocked over about 25 gravestones. If anybody knows anything about this, please come forward," she said.

Security at the cemetery is minimal. Ms Young said there had never been a need for it as far as she knew.

PC Colin Wishart of West Mercia Police said: "Somebody somewhere must know who they are and they can tell us in confidence, either on the phone or in person."

Anyone with information can call police anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on 01905 723888 quoting reference c/591238.