ANTI-RACISM supporters turned out in force to express their disgust at the damage caused by vandals at a Jewish cemetery in Prestwich.

Around 150 people joined a vigil at the gates of the Rainsough Jewish Cemetery in Butterstile Lane, on Sunday lunchtime, organised by Bury Unite Against Facism.

Protesters, including the Mayor of Bury, Coun Steve Treadgold and St Mary's councillor Maggie Gibb, addressed the crowd in a show of solidarity with the Jewish community and to publicly object to the desecration of 96 graves.

The burial ground was targeted by vandals who smashed marble and granite headstones. The damage was discovered on Thursday by graveyard officials and reported to police, who are treating the attack as racially motivated.

All the headstones damaged feature Hebrew inscriptions and there are believed to be some Holocaust survivors' graves among the scene of devastation.

Secretary of Bury Unite Against Fascism, Geoff Brown said: "This is not a random attack of violence. It is a cold, calculated attack . We are determined to stand together and support the Jewish community.

"This type of incident is deliberately designed to create a climate of fear. We are concerned that the BNP got 700 votes in the local elections. It is 700 votes too many and when there is a rise in racist politics, there is a rise in all kinds of racist violence. We feel it is important to stand up against it and denounce acts of anti-Semitism."

Relatives of people buried in the cemetery began visiting graves last Friday. Many arrived at the graveyard distressed and not knowing if the tributes to their loved ones were still intact; others went to pay their respects.

Also present at the hour-long vigil were church leaders, the Mayor of Manchester Coun Mohammed Afzal Khan and Jewish community leader and Holocaust survivor Henry Guterman.

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis said he had taken comfort from locals who had contacted him to demonstrate their abhorrence at the attack and express solidarity with the local Jewish community.

He said: "The attack on Rainsough Cemetery was an attack on each and every one of us, irrespective of our religious or political affiliations. Our thoughts are with relatives and friends who have suffered the pain and indignity of seeing their loved ones resting places desecrated."

Police have carried out house-to-house enquiries. Detective Inspector Simon Collier said: "I want to appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or who has any information about it, to look to their conscience and please come forward."

Anyone with information should call police on 856 8240 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.