THIEVES have cut around a dozen roses from flowers left at a Corfe Mullen grave, just days after the funeral.

A grieving Poole woman, who buried her mother at the Newtown Lane cemetery on Tuesday, says the large lemon blooms went missing between 5pm on Wednesday and 11am on Thursday.

The roses were part of a large coffin-long spray also containing carnations, but these were not stolen.

The mourner, who asked not to be named, said: “We’d been visiting to check on the grave and keep the flowers watered.

“Somebody has stripped the grave of all the roses. They had cut them off and left a couple of inches of stem.”

She has told cemetery owners Corfe Mullen Parish Council about the incident, in which a bouquet of roses was also taken.

They are informing community police officers.

The woman, 58, said: “It’s a bit disturbing. I think children would have just pulled the flowers out and scattered them.

“Instead they’ve been cut off as if somebody wanted them for something. I want other people to know what’s been going on and to be on their guard.”