Vile Boughton thieves take flowers from grave of Selling woman Elizabeth Head just a day after funeral at St Peter and St Paul's Church
00:01, 25 April 2014
A grieving widower had hundreds of pounds worth of funeral flowers snatched from his wife's grave in Boughton.
Herbert Head, 87, was shocked to discover a 3ft bouquet was stolen from the grave just a day after Elizabeth was buried at St Peter and St Paul's church.
He met his sweetheart 62 years ago and they lived happily in Perry Wood, Selling, until her death earlier this month.
St Peter and St Paul's was the same church Elizabeth - known as Betty - had worked as a Sunday school teacher and where they married 59 years ago.
Herbert said: "Those flowers were the final gift from me to her and it just felt terrible to see that they had gone.
"I was devastated, especially so close to the funeral. There aren't many words you can use to describe someone that did this, but it is vile behaviour.
"She was a lovely, gentle woman, who didn't deserve to be treated in this way."
Herbert and Elizabeth, who was 77 when she died, have one son Richard and two grandchildren, Alex and Lanie.
Elizabeth was a member of Canterbury Writers' Club and the Mothers' Union and had won awards for her gardening.
Herbert added: "She had a lovely service at the church with the Rev Jean Burrows, which was very well attended with many friends and family.
"But just one day later the flowers that I had bought her especially had been taken.
"I've heard about plaques and metal ornaments being stolen, but never flowers."
Herbert is now using artificial flowers instead of real ones, fearing they could be stolen again.
He added: "I have a message to the person or persons that carried out this evil act – you stole from one of God's sacred gardens and He will, in His own many ways, punish you for what you have done.
"Please remember this the next time you go to steal from God's garden – He will be watching you."
