Family’s heartfelt plea for information after sister's grave destroyed in Harborough village cemetery crash incident


The resident – who does not want to be named – sent pictures to show the damage caused to her late sister’s headstone at Foxton cemetery.
The incident happened on Saturday night (January 11) between 6pm and 9.30pm, after a vehicle left a sharp bend, damaging fences, headstones and groundworks.
Around 15 headstones are thought to be damaged.
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Police said they have identified a driver from Northamptonshire and he is “assisting us with our enquiries”.
The resident has asked for the ‘devastation and upset caused’ to be shown and acknowledged – and appealed for help to find the driver who caused what she describes as ‘carnage’.
She said: “You can also see from the tyre marks on the grass that this was not a small vehicle and the driver has careered at speed across numerous graves and headstones and then has chosen to reverse the vehicle, driving over further graves in order to leave the scene.”
Council officers have been checking the stability of the gravestones and assessing the repairs needed.
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Darren Woodiwiss, cabinet lead for environment, said it is possible that the crash was an accident. He added: “We understand these things happen by accident and we hope the driver of the vehicle is OK and comes forward to allow us to understand what has happened.
"In the meantime, we understand how distressing this is for relatives, families and the village and we will act swiftly to do all we can to repair the damage caused.”
Leicestershire Police are investigating the incident. They said: “Officers are carrying out further enquiries following a report that a car had collided with several headstones at Foxton Cemetery.
“The car – a Jeep Cherokee – left the scene prior to emergency services arriving. The driver, a man from Northamptonshire, has since been identified and is assisting us with our enquiries.
“Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101, and ask to speak to PC 553 Tones, quoting reference 25*23640.”