Anger and heartache after memorial bench is vandalised

Wendy Jennings was left shocked and angry after seeing the memorial bench for her parents outside her home in Beach Terrace, Newbiggin, had been vandalised with racist and anti-Semitic writing as well as claims the Covid pandemic was caused by 5G.

She had paid for the memorial on the bench for her father Robert Brown as he used to love visiting that part of Newbiggin, adding her mother Joan’s name to the bench, which was installed in the summer.

Wendy said: “My Dad used to come up to this part of Newbiggin all the time and would sit and enjoy the view.

"I was devastated at my lovely memorial bench had been vandalised by thoughtless morons.

"I was really, really mad to think someone could do this and be so inconsiderate.

"I am disgusted and upset at the lack of respect.

"It’s not right, its mindless and pathetic.

"It has had a major knock-on effect for myself and others.

"Why do the people who do this sort of thing think that it’s okay to do it? This added to my distress at the time.

"It has caused a lot of anger in the village.

"Other people walking by who saw it said they were shocked and angry by it.”

After posting her anger on Facebook, Wendy says another resident got in touch to say her memorial bench further along Beach Terrace had also been vandalised with the same message.

But just days after sharing her anger and shock on social media, a Good Samaritan had messaged her to say he had removed the graffiti and repaired the bench for her.

Wendy said: “I’m over the moon that someone has done this for me, and was very thankful.

"It was an act of kindness from somebody I don’t know, it was just so nice.”

Wendy also contacted Newbiggin Town Council who offered to repair the bench as well, and said that, as with other memorial benches, they would maintain the upkeep of it.