A GRIEVING widower is devastated after a vase was stolen from his wife's grave at Yew Tree Brake Cemetery.

Mr Thomas of Cinderford lost his wife a few months ago and visits the place where she was buried twice a week.

She has not been buried for long enough for there to be a headstone, as the earth still needs to settle, but he and his sons have put up a temporary cross and marked the spot with two vases of fresh flowers.

Mr Thomas said: "I had two vases on there – one clay one and one fluted blue glass vase that my wife bought several years ago.

"I go up to visit her twice a week and I put two bunches of fresh flowers on her grave every week, but someone has stolen the glass vase."

The flowers from the blue vase had been stuffed into the clay vase, he said.

"I cried up there when I saw it was gone – I am broken-hearted.

"How could someone be so cruel as to steal flowers off someone's grave? I think these people are absolute scum and I am hoping this story will prick their conscience and make them bring it back.

"My two boys are disgusted and upset about it and it hurts me to think that my wife chose this vase herself and it has been taken," he added.