PEOPLE are being urged to report anti-social behaviour to the police after a memorial bench in a cemetery was vandalised and a fire was started in a children's play park.

The bench in Egremont Cemetery was discovered broken and surrounded by beer bottles and cigarette butts last week.

Elaine Woodburn, chair of Egremont Town Council, said the town had been hit by a spate of anti-social behaviour, with fires started at Orgill play park and Egremont Castle as well.

Speaking about the vandalism, Mrs Woodburn said: "The area was covered with cigarettes and bottles. It gives a strong impression that somebody has been in there that shouldn't have been.

People make the comments on Facebook, which is fine, but we need to encourage them to take that further step and report it

"They shouldn't be drinking in the cemetery anyway.

"We take a lot of pride and the community take a lot of pride in keeping the cemetery to the high standard that it is. When something like this happens, it not only affects the family involved but it affects the wider community.

"It's a place of peace where people go to remember their loved ones. Any acts of vandalism will be stamped upon."

Mrs Woodburn said there had been a 'real increase' in anti-social behaviour in Egremont recently.

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"What happened in the cemetery has just come on top of fires that have been started in the castle and our local play area," she said.

"One of the reasons we keep the gates locked at the castle is to discourage people going in late on. 

"What we need to do is encourage people to ring 101 or go online to report it. The police, because of their limited resources, they have to target where the need is. We need to show there is a massive need in Egremont that needs further support from the police.

"People make the comments on Facebook, which is fine, but we need to encourage them to take that further step and report it to the police.

"If anyone has got any information, we are more than happy to take it to the police for them. No matter how small people think they are, we need to clampdown on the behaviour before it gets any worse."

People can report incidents to the police online at cumbria.police.uk/report-it, or phone 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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