WAR veterans are outraged over the theft of six small Remembrance Day wooden crosses.

The crosses were taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Burrs Road, Clacton.

They had been placed there on Wednesday November 9, a few days before the memorial services, but were gone the following Monday.

Peter Hayman, who places the crosses with poppies at the front of cemetery graves every year, said he checked with Tendring Council, cemetery gardeners and others to check that they hadn’t been removed by the commission or the council.

The crosses were also stuck in the ground, so they couldn’t be blown away by the wind.

Peter said: “As they were brand new crosses, it disgusts me. What would it cost to buy a new one? I’m not worried about the £6 cost, what I’m concerned about is the insult to the war dead.”

The former Sargeant with the Royal Engineers, along with Darren Bradwell, is a founder of the Veterans Club in Clacton, which recently opened the town’s new £21 million Asda superstore.

A similar theft happened last year, which Peter reported to the police, but this year he decided not to, believing the force to be too busy.

“But I did put it on Facebook and received over 70 comments, which was good,” he said.

Peter, who served for 22 years, and the veterans club are now turning their attention to providing Christmas dinners for veterans.

“I just can’t do enough for these guys. The state doesn’t look after them,” he added.

Dan Casey, president of Clacton Royal British Legion, said he was unaware of the thefts and was “flabbergasted.”

He said: It was such a terrific Remembrance Sunday in Clacton. The parade was the biggest with over 4,000 and somebody does that. Words can’t describe it. They are worse than gutter rats."

Mr Casey added he was unaware of similar thefts, except for the £30 stolen from a poppy collection tin in St Mary’s Church, Frinton.

Walton Royal British Legion branch secretary Philip Williams branded that particular theft “despicable.”