A lady has been left devastated after a large planter was stolen from her parents grave in Alderley Edge cemetery.
Former Wilmslow residents Ronald and Janet Wellens died within a year of each other in 2012 and 2013. Janet worked as a nurse in geriatrics and then later as a Marie Curie nurse whilst Ronald worked at AstraZeneca as an analytical chemist until they decided to retire to Scotland in 2005.
Their daughter Amy Hyland explained "As my husband is in the Royal Airforce we have move around a lot so I decided I wanted them both to be at rest at 'home'. The cemetery in Alderley is peaceful, in a rural setting and was well kept, respectful in a good area.
"As time went on we realised rabbits would eat anything real we put on the grave, plants and flowers, so we didn't have any worries about putting faux planters on the grave because of the reputable area.
"I've spent quite a lot of money buying good quality artificial arrangements to make the grave look colourful and well attended. I spend money on their anniversaries, birthdays, Mothers and Father's Day for example to visit the grave and put something new we'd purchased up there."
Amy added "Last Sunday we were leaving Wilmslow after a weekend with family and popped in to the cemetery to say 'hello' when I noticed that the largest most expensive planter (that I had bought in memory of what would have been my mum's birthday) had disappeared. I looked around the cemetery briefly but couldn't see it, checked the very near vicinity to check the wind hadn't blown or smashed it anywhere - but it's too heavy for that. I quickly came to conclusion, after checking with other family members that they hadn't moved it for some reason, that it must have been stolen.
"I cried all the way back to Birmingham (where my husband is currently posted) as although a relatively minor item in the whole grand scheme of things the actual act of robbing from a dead couple and a grieving family is despicable and quite unbelievable."
"In contacting you and hopefully running a story I'm am hoping that the perpetrator will see the article and realise the pain they've caused and perhaps find out if more families have been a victim of this sort of crime."
Amy Hyland has reported the incident to the police, so if you have any information please contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident 0716371576.
Photo: Ronald and Janet Wellens grave, the stolen planter can be seen on the left containing ivy, pansies and firs.
