FAMILIES have been left devastated after vandals flouted lockdown rules and destroyed memorials and graves in Riddrie Park Cemetery. 

The incident occurred at some point between Saturday night and Sunday morning last weekend, with the police being called to the scene the next day. 

One family member told of her heartbreak, as damage to the cemetery saw memorial angels and rocks torn up at her family plot. 

Mary Barnes, 66, from Chryston, said: “My daughter is buried there, the fact that people could do such a thing is horrible, I can’t imagine it.

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“There were babies’ graves that were smashed up too, I think that that is absolutely disgusting.”

Mary’s daughter, Sharon Barnes, died in 2015 aged 39 and is buried alongside her parents, Mary and Patrick McCurry, and her brother, Terrence McCurry. 

Mary's step-nephew, Graham Conway, is also buried in the North East cemetery.

“There were small angel statues on the gravestone and they were all smashed up. 

“I can’t imagine how much it’s going to cost to get it all fixed, I’m devastated.

“People may not even know that their loved one’s gravestone has been trashed if they can’t get out of the house during this lockdown.”

Memorials were smashed and grass pulled up in the cemetery, which locals have been campaigning to make more secure for years. 

Mary said: “There’s no gate on the Greenside Street entrance and we’ve asked repeatedly for some sort of security for the cemetery like CCTV cameras or even lights. 

“It’s been run-down for a while now and it’s horrible to see so many graves get damaged like this – but we knew this could happen without the security. 

“There are some really good people in there and it’s not just one person that they’re upsetting when they’re so mindless like this.”

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Police confirmed that an incident took place at Riddrie Park Cemetery over the course of last weekend, saying: “An investigation is under way following a report of damage to several gravestones within Riddrie Park Cemetery. The matter was reported to police on Sunday, May 3, 2020, and enquiries are ongoing.”

Mary has asked that anyone with any information about the vandalism contact police, saying: “It wasn’t just a few things that had been tipped over, it was smashing and crashing that was taking place, someone has to have heard.”