THE relatives of two men who had memorial benches placed in a cemetery today hit out at thieves who dug them out of concrete and stole them.

The two benches -- which cost £500 each and were paid for by friends and family of their loved ones -- were stolen from the new cemetery in Bolton Road, Darwen.

They had been placed there in memory of Steven Hope -- who died in 1995 aged 25 of septicemia -- and Peter Thornley, who died three years ago of emhpysema and an abscessed lung. He was 61.

Jason's angry mother, Carole, of Richmond Terrace, Darwen, said: "We are very, very angry with what has happened.

"The bench cost £500 and the money for it was raised by Steven's friends and family so there would be a permanent memorial to him.

"These people obviously came prepared. How else can you remove two benches out of concrete?"

Following Steven's death, which came four years after he contracted the virus, his friends and family set up a fund-raising appeal to help the organisations which had supported him.

Carole added: "Everyone is very upset by this theft. The bench had a plaque on it saying who it was in memory of.

"How can someone live with themselves knowing they have stolen it?"

Peter Thornley's wife, Irene Thornley, of Coniston Drive, Darwen, added: "We visit the graveyard every week and we had the bench placed there especially so we could sit and look at Peter's grave.

"All that is left now is a concrete slab and the holes from where the bench was. "I cannot believe someone would stoop so low as to steal something which was placed there in my husband's memory."

The thefts have been reported to the police, who are investigating.

Carole added: "We just can't believe anyone would stoop that low as to steal from a cemetery."

Tom Wilson, head of outdoor amenities at Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "We are sickened by this mindless act and send our sincere sympathy to relatives of the people the benches were dedicated to.

"We have done our best to stop this sort of thing happening, going as far as having the benches bolted down.

"Because we are unable to provide round-the-clock policing in parks and cemeteries we urge members of the public to contact either the police or ourselves if they see anybody carrying out these acts of vandalism."

Anyone with any information should contact Darwen Police on 01254 701777.