The graveyard at St John’s Church in Bilton has been vandalised.

Four ancient gravestones were pushed over on Thursday night at about 10.30pm.

North Yorkshire Police said the gravestones are heavy and pushing them over would have taken some force. 

Earlier that night there was also vandalism to a sign at the North Yorkshire Sport building nearby on Bilton Lane at 10.15pm. It's not clear if the two incidents are related. 

Local police have stepped-up patrols in the area. 

Gravestones are the legal properties of the families who erected them, meaning the upkeep and repair costs rest with the deceased's heirs.

If the legal owners cannot be traced, the ultimate responsibility for keeping the churchyard safe, falls to the church. 

Churches are often targets for vandals - according to research conducted by the Countryside Alliance, nearly 4,000 crimes were committed on church property as well as other religious premises last year. 

The church has not had any information from anyone who may have witnessed some disturbance.

Anyone with information can report it online via the website  www.northyorkshire.police.uk or by calling 101.

Quote the reference number, NYP-05092026-0106 when reporting the incident.