A grieving dad is keeping a nightly vigil after "sick" thieves looted the grave of his baby son at a Bradford cemetery.

The vandals have been stealing toys and teddies and ripping up flowers in the children's burial area at Scholemoor Cemetery, Lidget Green.

And Trevor Tiler, whose baby boy died just weeks ago has vowed to guard his son's grave each night until he catches the culprits.

Luke Tiler only lived a few minutes after he was born on March 19 with a underdeveloped skull.

Trevor, 47, who lives with his partner Linda Woodward, 42, in Denholme, says he has had enough of thieves taking toys and figurines from his grave.

He said other parents had been left devastated by the attacks, and he hopes they will help him patrol the area.

He is now camping out each night with his flask, sandwiches and mobile phone, keeping watch over the grave.

And he has vowed to repeat the process every night, with help from his four grown-up sons, until the vandals get the message.

Mr Tiler, a father of six said: "Just about everything we have put on his grave has gone," he said.

"We never had the chance to buy Luke a toy when he was alive so we wanted to put them on his grave.

"It's like the poor little chap can't be laid to rest. I don't know how anyone can do this to children's graves. It's sick. I've seen other parents up there in tears. One family put their three-year-old's favourite toys on his grave but they all got stolen. If just by being present I'm a deterrent, it's worth it.

"We can't possibly get over Luke's death with this going on."

Mr Tiler said the police have told him that thefts and vandalism in the cemetery were on the increase and they will now be patrolling more regularly.

"I'll give it at least two weeks but if the vandals come back when I've gone, then I'll do it again."

His partner Linda, who also has a two-year-old and five-year-old daughter, said she was horrified when she realised the grave was been targeted.

"It's disgusting how anyone can do this to a baby's grave," she said.

"It's a difficult time for us all without this happening. But we'll keep taking things up to the grave for Luke."

Inspector Trevor Gasson, of Toller Lane police, said: "Any damage that's caused by anybody on personal property is upsetting but in this case it is an extreme because of where it is."

Bradford Council which runs the cemetery said it had stepped up ranger patrols to up to five visits a night.

"We sympathise with Mr Tiler's situation and are equally appalled at the mindless vandalism.

"The council has stepped up ranger patrols at Scholemoor Cemetery in the evenings and the police have also increased their foot patrols.

"There are some CCTV cameras in the cemetery but we would appeal to the public to report any acts of vandalism they see to the police. We would also ask those concerned to think of the distress they are causing to grieving families."

Councillor Barry Thorne, chair of the council's sports and recreation subcommittee which covers the cemeteries, said: "These kind of sick incidents tend to happen sporadically at cemeteries around the city.

"We had a reduction in this type of crime and we were able to catch people in the past.

"I can't understand how anyone can do this to children's graves.

"My sympathies go to the parents and we will do all we can to put a stop to it."

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