Those of us who have not suffered the loss of a relative can only imagine the pain and grief of mourning.

The sadness is something that never goes away, but with time it is possible to live with it.

An integral part of coming to terms with death is being able to visit the final resting place to pay respects and remember.

How sad it is then that thieves have targeted graves at Enfield's Lavender Hill Cemetery to steal ornaments left by

relatives.

That they should be ashamed of themselves hardly needs saying. Of course they should, as every right-thinking member of the community will agree.

But they must also remember that losing a relative affects almost everyone at some time, and it could be their loved ones buried there one day.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.