A cemetery worker has been sacked after destroying two memorials while driving a refuse truck.

Richard Symonds, from High Wycombe, was visiting Pinner New Cemetery in Pinner Road, Pinner, on Tuesday where his late partner is buried when he saw tyre tracks that had wreaked havoc on the burial site, splitting one grave almost in half.

He said: "It looked as if someone had got into a vehicle blind drunk and just rampaged through the place without a care in the world.

"I just could not believe it when I saw it, it was distressing to see and you can only imagine the hurt this would cause a family member who is laid to rest here."

He then wrote to Harrow Council's cemetery team, urging them to take action.

Mr Symonds said: "I have concerns about this kind of thing happening again, especially as my late partners stone is due to be laid in a few months time, and her father's memorial is quite close by boarding on the same verges.

"I think the families of these two memorials should be informed without delay, and the police notified of the criminal damage that has been wreaked."

Maintenance staff later informed him that they had previously been made aware of the vandalism and an investigation was already under way.

This afternoon a Harrow Council spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately this damage was caused by an agency worker who was driving a refuse truck at the time.

"As soon as we found out about this incident, this worker’s contract with the council was terminated.

"We are deeply sorry for the upset this incident has caused."

Harrow Council's public realm team are now working to repair the damage caused.