POLICE are hunting for a group of men dressed in green skirts who are believed to be responsible for a trail of destruction in a village cemetery.

More than 80 gravestones were pulled out of the ground and many were broken. The damage has been estimated at about £50,000.

The men were seen leaving the Pelton Cemetery, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, early on Sunday morning.

Community Inspector Paul Anderson said officers, who were alerted to a disturbance in the village at 8am on Sunday, arriv-ed to find the cemetery desecrated.

Insp Anderson said: "Residents reported seeing a group of men wearing green skirts running from the cemetery.

"They were throwing bins around and creating a disturbance and ran off towards the Newfield area. One of our lines of inquiry is that, dressed the way they were, they were possibly returning from a wedding reception or party nearby.

"They had either slept it off or continued to party through the night before the attack.

"If they were not responsible,we would urge them to come forward so that we can eliminate them from our inquiries."

Chester-le-Street District Council bereavement officer George Blenkiron said: "This is the worst vandalism attack I have seen in the ten years that I have been working in the council's cemeteries.

"I have had reports of vandalism before - but nothing on this scale. It was a completely mindless act."

He said the council had recently carried out a push-pull safety test of all tombstones.

He said: "It must have been grown men who did this.

"One of the tombstones had only just been replaced with a new one by an elderly relative.

"It was anchored into the ground with cement and a long steel pin. It must have taken some considerable force to tip it over."

Mr Blenkiron said: "Whoever has done this has no respect for the dead, or for anything or anybody. There is a children's memorial at the church and a cross which they appeared to have kicked over as their parting shot."

Anyone with information is asked to call 0845-60-60-365.