Woman arrested for spate of thefts in Filey churchyard

The news comes as a result of a police investigation into several reports of flowers, pots and various ornaments being stolen from St Oswald's cemetery.

The repeated thefts, targeting one of the town's largest cemeteries as often as every day, have left local residents distraught.

Sophie Jenkison, whose baby and parents are buried in St Oswald’s churchyard, said: “No-one has seen anything but every time you put a new thing on, it goes. They’re even taking terracotta pots. It’s just not nice for anybody, especially older people.

“You look after your mum and dad when they’re alive and then once they die they get disrespected – what for?

“If you walk through the graveyard and take a look you think ‘oh, there’s no flowers here’ because no-one is putting them on and people tell me to not put them on, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

The 50-year-old woman, arrested on 30 August, has been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue.