Fourth grave attack in two weeks in Huddersfield

Jul 6 2009 By Dave Hinelfield

HEARTLESS thieves have stolen flowers from a leukaemia victim’s grave – the latest in a spree of heartless crimes in graveyards across Huddersfield.

Catherine Brook, 59, died in 1996 after a two-year battle against the disease.

Now her memorial at Almondbury Cemetery has been targeted by thieves – the fourth grave attack in Huddersfield in two weeks.

Mrs Brook’s husband, 72-year-old Jeffrey, of Almondbury, made his weekly visit to the cemetery to tidy his wife’s grave.

But he found a geranium and five pansies has been dug up and stolen.

The grave theft is the latest in a spate of attacks on memorials in the Huddersfield area.

Vandals trashed a memorial to car crash victim Leigh Sedgwick at a graveyard at Woodhouse Hill, Sheepridge, around last Tuesday.

And yobs stole plants and smeared dog faeces on a memorial to Philbert Buckle at Lockwood Cemetery between June 21 and 27.

Mr Brook, a retired textile designer, married Catherine, better known as Kitty, in October 1959.

He and Kitty, a doctor’s receptionist, have two sons and three grandchildren.

A year before her death, Kitty – a keen bowler at Kirkheaton and Moldgreen cricket clubs – raised around £500 for Leukaemia Research at Almondbury Church.