Romany Widow Vows Gypsy Curse Over Husbands Desecrated Newquay Grave
Friday, 7th January, 2011 03:46:38 PM
Source: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Romany-widow-vows-curse-grave-outcry/art...
A WIDOW has vowed to cast a gypsy curse on those responsible for "desecrating" her husband's grave at Christmas.
June Roberts, a Romany traveller, took her three-year-old granddaughter to lay flowers and gifts at Newquay's Fairpark Cemetery on December 22.
But when they arrived they found the edging stones had disappeared, soil had been dumped on the grave and several ornamental cherubs had been ground into the mud.
A collection of Romany rocks, imported especially from Spain, at a cost of more than £300, were also missing.
Mrs Roberts, of Henver Road, said: "When I find out who they are, they're going to get such a Romany curse they'll know never to cross me again.
"Is this the way people wish others a happy Christmas? I'm disgusted. I hope their fingers drop off."
The grandmother-of-six said granddaughter Cerys was distraught and refuses to return to the cemetery.
"When I saw the grave I was gobsmacked," said Mrs Roberts, 63, whose husband Henry died on September 14, 2009.
"It was as though someone had hit me in the face with a shovel. Then Cerys said 'Nanny, why have they taken Granch's stones?' and I couldn't answer her."
The Cornish Guardian launched an investigation last week to find out what had happened. We discovered it was actually council contractors who were responsible.
Jerry Masters, an environment operations manager at Cornwall Council, said the rocks had been replaced with soil because the plot was in a lawn area.
He said council staff had written to deed holders in September asking them to abide by the rules after receiving several complaints.
"We're sorry for any upset, but unfortunately the items hadn't been removed so we removed them ourselves," he said. But Mrs Roberts, who moved from her previous address at Porth Way in October last year, said: "I told the council about my change of address, had the post office redirect my mail and I never received any letter.
Disrespectful
"I bought that plot and I can't believe this was done without my knowledge. To me that's stealing. It's desecration of a grave and disrespectful to the people who are left behind.
"That's my husband's grave. We were married for 47 years and I cry every day I miss him so much.
"We moved 44 times in that time but I'm not going anywhere now Henry is here.
"I just want the rocks back, to put them in my garden and help me remember him."
The Cornish Guardian put Mrs Roberts in touch with Mr Masters, who said he believed the Romany stones were being kept in storage by council contractors.
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