A COUNCIL has blamed “squirrels, rabbits and birds” for damage to a baby grave despite one of the incidents involving nail varnish.

Caz Smith, 31, of Sorrel Court, Laindon said she was disgusted when the gravestone for her son, Benjamin who died when just nine-weeks-old was vandalised in Pitsea Cemetery, near to Old Church Road.

Ms Smith claimed during an incident on May 14, the headstone was covered in nail varnish and since then the heads of flowers had been cut off.

She said: “I think it has been absolutely disgusting. I went there on Thursday, June 8 and put flowers down on his grave.

"When I went back the heads had been cut off them.

“I bought some flowers and the same thing happened again.

“There is no CCTV inside the cemetery or outside of it.

“I have since thought about buying a GoPro to put in the trees above his grave, but I do not think I ever want to know who has done this to him.”

Benjamin Robert Smith Nutley was born prematurely and scans showed that part of his brain had not fully developed, meaning he could not breathe on his own.

He died in the arms of his mother on April 8, 2006 at Little Havens Hospice in Thundersley.

Ms Smith, who has two more children, Tommy, 14 and Millie, 11, makes weekly visits to Benjamin’s grave.

She said that she no longer takes her son and daughter to Benjamin’s grave as a result of the damage that has been done.

Following the vandalism to Benjamin’s grave, Kevin Blake, chairman of Basildon Council’s leisure, culture and environment committee, said: “Basildon

Council has received no complaints from Ms Smith, however we are aware of issues with squirrels, rabbits

and birds damaging flowers on graves and knocking over vases. Vandalism is very rare in our cemeteries.

“Our cemetery officer visited the plot in question and could find no evidence

of damage to the headstone.

“The gates at Pitsea Cemetery are not locked overnight due to the need for public access at all times.”

A cemetery officer visited the cemetery and found squirrels in the act of pulling head off the flowers at graves, it is claimed.

Ms Smith was infuriated by the council’s response, saying that the cemetery gates should be closed during the night to stop these incidents continuing.

She said: “I do not accept it is a comment, if anything I think that is insulting.

“The gates should be shut the way they are at the grave sites of my grandparents and niece.

“Ben is not buried in the babies section of the cemetery, there are a couple other babies around him now but there needs to be more help for parents.”