A SHEFFIELD grandma has hit out at vandals after they desecrated babies' graves and stole ornaments and lights at a city cemetery.
Shirley Jeffcock helped set up Friends of Shiregreen Cemetery three years ago after a spate of attacks on her still-born grandson's grave
The vandalism eased for a few months but last weekend Shirley claims the graves of seven babies - including her grandson Phoenix Jeffcock's - were attacked by yobs who stole ornaments, lanterns and solar powered lights.
Shirley, aged 50, of Barrie Road, Shiregreen, sobbed: "I'm so angry. I just don't know what to do The lights have been ripped out of the ground. It seems no matter what we do they still come back.People who vandalise a baby's grave are not human."
Baby Phoenix was stillborn in April 2006. His parents - Shirley's son Dean and Lisa Ellis - were devastated by their son's death and the latest spate of vandalism has hit them hard.
Shirley helped set up the Friends group to improve security. But today Shirley said she felt like giving up. "I feel as if all my efforts have been wasted. I really thought all this had stopped but now it's started again."
Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, Sheffield Council's cabinet member for climate change and local environment said: "The theft of items from graves is despicable and I find it impossible to understand why anyone would commit such a mindless act.
"I am conscious security in cemeteries is a longstanding issue and we will be looking into what can be done to tackle this problem across the whole city."
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