A STONEMASON from Church Stretton has agreed to repair vandalised graves in a Ludlow churchyard free of charge.

Adam Collier, aged 31, made the offer after reading about the smashing of four memorials, including a war grave.

“It is appalling that people should do this to graves and I wanted to see if I could help,”

said Mr Collier, who has run his business, Stretton Memorials, for five years.

“Although I live in Church Stretton, I come from Ludlow and have family graves in the town. I get a lot of my work from the area and wanted to put something back.”

After leaving school, Mr Collier started work as a stonemason 12 years ago and specialises in the restoration of memorials. The vandalised graves are thought to have been damaged by people who got drunk after a night out.

Three gravestones were either pushed over or snapped and a Second World War grave was damaged.

Friends of St Leonard’s Church were shocked by the vandalism, as was the Ludlow branch of the Royal British Legion. It was thought that the damage was too expensive to repair.

“It is wonderful that someone has come for ward to help with this work,” said John Spittle, chairman of Ludlow British Legion. “This is in contrast to the people who have nothing better to do than to smash graves.”

Consideration is being given to possible security measures including, the installation of CCTV cameras.