A DEVASTATED family have told how the grave of a beloved Blockley man who was buried just two weeks ago has been trashed by vandals.

Grieving relatives of Charles Peach, 61,who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on March 29, just weeks after diagnosis, were appalled after flowers laid on his grave at his funeral were damaged beyond repair.

Two floral tributes spelling ‘Grandad’ and ‘Dad’ were destroyed and left strewn across the grass in Blockley cemetery between 6pm and 7.30pm on Monday, along with four wreaths.

The tributes had special meaning to each of Mr Peach’s seven grandchildren, who had included a heartfelt personal message on each of the letters.

Mr Peach’s devastated daughter Amanda Sollis and her mother Lyn tried to rescue the flowers after a resident alerted them to the damage.

Mr Peach’s daughter-in-law Amy Peach, 33, who is married to his son Matthew and works at Blockley Shop, said: “A lady who does her stroll around Blockley was going through the cemetery and came across the flowers in the middle of the grass.

“Amanda and Lyn went back after to see if they could rectify them but they were beyond repair.

“In the whole cemetery, that was the only one that was touched.

Everyone is very distraught.

Their hearts just sank completely.

It’s just very upsetting. Why would anybody do it?”

Mrs Peach said the vandalism had brought the heartache flooding back to the family, who were still coming to terms with Mr Peach’s sudden death.

The former forklift truck driver, who worked for Hackling, in Bourton, was initially told he had six months to live after he was diagnosed with cancer.

“They were lovely flowers,” added Mrs Peach. “I’m just speechless.

There’s no respect nowadays.

For someone to do that is very upsetting. How would they feel if it was their relatives?”

The damage has been reported to Gloucestershire Police, who are investigating.

A spokesman said: “The flowers were smashed up and thrown all over the place.”