A son spoke of his devastation after callous thieves desecrated his parents' graves.

Geoff Dance, 48, was outraged to find crooks had stolen animal ornaments from the graves of his huntsman father John Dalglish Dance and mother Mary.

The couple, who lived in Ebchester, near Consett, are buried side-by-side in nearby Low Westwood Cemetery.

"We are all very distressed," said Mr Dance. "I cannot believe that some lowlife could rob the dead and take something that was so treasured."

His father was a former huntsman with the Brace of Derwent Hunt, along with those of Morpeth and Berwickshire.

He spent his last working years at the Consett Steel Works, but never lost his attachment to bloodsports.

"They collected ornaments all their lives and were particularly fond of foxes. "When my father died in 1998, my mam put some of the foxes on his grave and they had been there ever since.

"My mam kept two of them and it was her wish when she passed away in 2000 to have them put on their graves as well."

Mr Dance, of Lanchester, appealed to the thieves' conscience in a bid to have the much-loved pieces returned.

"I would ask whoever did it just to put them back," he said. "They are not worth a lot of money, but they are precious to us and we would love to see them back where they belong."