Police have begun the painstaking process of piecing together broken memorial plaques discovered at a scrap metal dealer's.

It's believed up to 300 plaques, all dedicated to loved ones, could be among the haul being sifted through by Metropolitan Police officers in Croydon.

Some of the plaques are thought to have come from a cemetery in Tonbridge.

Sergeant George Shannon, who was responsible for organising the raid on the scrap metal yard in Croydon, said: “These are memorials to loved ones who have passed away and their theft only adds to people’s grief.

"That’s why we’re doing all we can to work out where these plaques have come from to hopefully return them and give those affected some peace of mind.”

Around 50 plaques have been pieced together so far and officers believe the plaques may have been stolen from cemeteries in Beckenham, Putney and Tonbridge.