A WOMAN has branded crematorium staff insensitive after she was mistakenly led to believe her mother’s memorial plaque had been stolen twice.

Wendy Martin, from Eccles, was devastated when her mother’s bronze plaque was one of 270 stolen from Vinters Park Crematorium, Maidstone, in July.

And her grief was compounded when she was told a replacement plaque had gone missing in a second wave of thefts earlier this month.

Mrs Martin, of Hawkes Road, received a standardised letter from crematorium staff on September 17, similar to one she received in August notifying her about the theft.

After an investigation by Mrs Martin and her sister, it transpired that the plaque had not been stolen, but was safely in the office at the crematorium as staff had not yet had a chance to put it back out.

She has described the mistake as “disrespectful” and said it had upset her.

Debra Herbert-Evers, bereavement services officer at the crematorium said: “It looks like she has accidentally received a letter which she should not have had and for that we apologise.”