A distraught daughter has hit out at thieves who stole special flowers from her father's grave.

Upset - Georgina and Peter Serghiou beside the grave. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (36358-20)

Georgina Serghiou, 53, bought the flowers while she was on holiday in Cyprus. She said they were silk and of a variety of designs including lilies.

Mrs Serghiou, who is Greek-Cypriot by birth, has visited her father's grave in Clacton every day since he died four years ago.

She said: "I am totally devastated. I think it is disgusting. It is really bad. How can they do this?"

Mrs Serghiou, who has lived in the town for more than 45 years, said: "I bought the flowers while I was on holiday in Cyprus. They have been there four weeks. I found them gone and the pot they were in.

"I spent a lot on them but it is not the money. It was a gift to my father from 2,000 miles away."

The cemetery at Burrsville is run by Tendring Council. Council spokesman Mike Page said: " It is clearly distressing and she has our sympathies."

"There has not been a spate of theft or vandalism at any of our cemeteries for quite a while now since we increased our security patrols at the weekends."

Published Thursday June 17, 2004

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