MEMORIAL statues and gravestones dating from around 250 years ago have been wrecked by vandals.

The monuments have been smashed, chipped and thrown around a small graveyard which is behind the Chatham Memorial Synagogue in the High Street.

The damage was thought to have been done between Friday, February 8 at 5pm and Wednesday, February 13 at 2.30pm. Senior member of the synagogue Gay Lancaster was distressed to find the damage. He said: "It's just mindless and causes so much upset to many people. Those stones out there are very old and have survived all this time but now some people want to wreck them."

Mr Lancaster estimates the bill for repairing the damage to be several thousand pounds. The vandalism couldn't have come at a worse time for the Jewish community. It is trying to raise £17,000 for compulsory restoration work to the front of the building after the fascia, weighing more than one ton, fell down a few months ago.

They have already received grants from English Heritage and Medway Council but must match their value with their own fund-raising. Now they must find the additional amount to repair and restore the damaged stones.

Det Con Jane Miller said: "If anyone was in the area of the cemetery between these dates and times they should contact Medway police immediately. This is very upsetting for people who have family members buried there."

Anyone with information about the vandalism, is asked to call Medway police on 01634 884252. Anyone who wishes to donate to the appeal should telephone the synagogue on 01634 847665.