The vandalised grave in St Leonard's Churchyard in Ludlow

Vandals went on a wrecking spree at a Shropshire graveyard and left behind a trail of mindless destruction, including damage to a war hero’s grave.

Townsfolk said the vandalism at St Leonard’s Church had destroyed a part of Ludlow’s history. Police are today investigating and the Friends of St Leonard’s, which takes care of the graveyard, said it faced a huge bill for repairs.

The vandals, who targeted the graveyard today and on Wednesday night, appear to have pushed over and wrecked four headstones.

The grave of a serviceman who fought in the Second World War was among the vandalised monuments.

Pat Hansen, a Friends committee member, said: “Mindless vandalism has reared its ugly head again in St Leonard’s Churchyard.

“Without enormous financial outlay it will be impossible to repair and reinstate them, so a part of Ludlow’s history has been destroyed.

“It takes considerable strength, along with a complete lack of respect for those buried there, to cause this much damage.

“It is to be hoped that if those who perpetrated this casual ruin of historical gravestones read this, they will, at least, feel some remorse.”

Mrs Hansen added: “We are not having a go at young people.

“I heard a racket in Corve Street on Wednesday night and a bunch of drunks came down Corve Street.

“It comes in waves. Over the years a lot of the gravestones have been damage or destroyed by similar incidents it is just a complete lack of respect.”

Lilian Franchi, who has relatives buried in the graveyard, said she was shocked to discover that vandals have struck again.

She said a commemorative tablet remembering her great-grandmother and two of her mother’s cousins had been destroyed just before Easter.

A police spokesman today said: “It is all hidden away but we work with the local people. We do regular patrols. Obviously it is a place where they can be hidden.”

The burial ground in St Leonard’s Church opened in 1824. Over the years the grounds were enlarged to three acres until 1906 when space finally ran out.

Mrs Hansen added that there had been some burials since then in family plots.

By Sophie Bignall