GRAVES at Blackburn Cemetery have been desecrated with what residents fear are gang-style tags.

Residents say anti-social behaviour problems at the cemetery appear to be resufacing after a few quiet summers.

Graffiti tags of RLB, thought to stand for ‘Roe Lee Boys’ by some, were left on dozens of ornate monuments at the cemetery this weekend.

The graffiti has been daubed on the cemetery’s older monuments, which were erected to Blackburn’s wealthy families and mill owners from 1857 onwards.

Similar graffiti tags have also been found on the walls of residents’ homes in nearby Whalley New Road, according to residents and councillors.

Jacqueline McAleese, 44, who lives in the former registrar’s house, within the cemetery, said: “It’s disgraceful what they’ve done to the graves and it’s quite intimidating having them hanging around.

“It doesn’t give the best impression of Blackburn to have gangs sitting arou-nd inside the cemetery.

“Residents also find it very intimidating to have them roaming about. They tend to sit on the middle level, where they can’t be seen but where they can see the police coming in.

“They smash bottles and urinate in the park and were a real problem a few years ago. Over the past few summers these problems have quieted down, because the police have kept on top of it.

“With these new graffiti tags posted, though, many residents fear they’re marking their terrority.”

Ward councillor for the area Coun Abdul Patel said there had been problems with graffiti and anti social behaviour near houses and shops for the past few months, but was not aware of any specific gang link.

He said: “I am very disappointed to hear that graves are now being vandalised.”