Families visiting the graves of their loved ones have been left fuming after precious ornaments, lanterns and vases were collected up and ditched by staff.

The company running the cemetery in Elmers End issued an apology after visitors discovered their nostalgic trinkets mindlessly piled in the mud or dumped in wheelbarrows.

Many items had been broken while others were covered in filth and grime when they were left in what appeared to be a dirty builder’s yard.

Jean Dignam, 72, from Thornton Heath, said: “It reminded me of what the Germans did with all the Jewish stuff. Just throw it in one big heap.”

Shirley Thomas from West Wickham visits her husband Donald’s plot every Sunday, and quickly noticed a glass angel was missing.

The 74-year-old said: “It is absolutely outrageous. Our little glass angel was hacked off the tree.

“I found its golden wings in the mud but the angel had disappeared. It feels like his plot has been looted.”

Faye Bird, 29, lost her mother seven years ago.

She said: “I was taken down an extremely muddy path and was told the items had all been placed in a shed. When I saw the heap of items my heart sank.

“There has been no thought as to how sentimental a lot of these things are.”

A spokesman for Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery operator Dignity said signs were put up giving families two weeks’ notice that tributes would be removed due to “complaints about the number and type being left”.

He said: “We would like to apologise unreservedly to the families concerned for the way their tributes were collected.

“A letter of apology will also be sent to those families that have contacted us.

“Unfortunately, on this occasion our staff did not follow our company guidelines.

“A senior member of our management team has instructed the members of staff concerned as to how they should have carried out their duties and they will be fully retrained to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”