HEARTLESS thieves ripped out a memorial churchyard bench installed just weeks ago in tribute to a Wye Valley mum.

The heartbroken family of Amanda ‘Mandi’ Morgan, who passed away in 2015, have appealed for the return of the £800 wooden bench, which had been cemented and bolted into the ground in the beautiful Dixton church riverside churchyard in Monmouth, but was ripped out.

Her mum Connie Weston posted on Facebook: “My beautiful daughter, how can someone take her bench? Please, please bring it back for me, please.

“Please who ever took my memorial bench for my daughter please put it back, it was hard enough losing her without this, please, please put it back.”

Mandi’s son Dan Morgan added: “My Nan has just called me in tears as she has gone up to Dixton Church, where my mother is buried, and has seen that Mum’s memorial bench has been stolen…

“We only put it down about a month ago, firmly cemented in the ground, so someone must have been very desperate to remove it. It has a plaque with my mum’s name on it.

“My Nan is in absolute bits, we cannot believe that this has happened and that somebody would do this.

“If anyone knows anything or has seen anything please get in touch. We’re all heartbroken. Thankyou.”

His sister Tara Davies said: “My Nan is absolutely beside herself, this means so much to her and the rest of our family, please share and help us find it… I can’t believe I’m even having to put this status on Facebook, what sort of person would do this?”

She added: “This bench was bolted down and set in concrete, so it must have been a considerable amount of effort to remove it.

“It wasn’t cut off, it was pulled out of the ground, and they must have really wanted it. I just think it’s complete madness someone would want to steal it.”

There was a stream of online support for the family following the overnight theft last Wednesday to Thursday (July 25 to 26), with offers to fundraise and install a new bench.

Tara said: “Thank you to everyone that has shared my post about my mum’s memorial bench, and thank you to all that have offered to help. It’s lovely that so many people are willing to pull together to raise money for a new one.

“Once something is sorted we will let you all know what the best way to help us is… but once again thank you all for coming together to help, you’re all great.”

Dixton assisant curate Rev Penny Powdrill said: “It’s absolutely despicable that someone had taken the bench, which was only put in on June 2. How anyone can think that it’s alright to steal such a cherished thing from a churchyard, put there in somebody’s memory, is the pits.

“The only positive thing to come out of this is the way the community has responded with offers to fundraise for a new one, but it’s ‘terrible for the family.

“It looks like whoever has taken it was organised, and it’s not the first time the church, which is just off the A40 roundabout, has been targeted.

“We had a brass chandelier taken a few years ago, and have now got electronic gates at night.”