Appeal after memorial bench is damaged in a Hartlepool cemetery.

We’re appealing for information or any relevant footage as enquiries continue into a report of damage to a memorial bench in a Hartlepool cemetery.

The caller reporter her daughter’s purple memorial bench which has a plaque on it was defaced by someone scratching a name, a love heart symbol and the date 02/08/25 onto it sometime between 8.30pm on Friday 1^st August and 10am on Saturday 9^th August.

(It’s believed the damage probably took place on Saturday 2^nd August due to that date having been etched onto the plaque).

We’d appeal for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in Stranton Cemetery on Brierton Lane over that time frame, anyone who may have captured footage of the person or people responsible for the damage as well as anyone else with information to contact Cleveland Police on the 101 number quoting ref 150829.

If you don’t want to speak to police, you can pass information anonymously to www.crimestoppers-uk.org or phone them on 0800 555 111.