SICK souvenir hunters are suspected of stealing human bones and headstones after a graveyard wall in Llanegryn collapsed.

A 10-metre section of the graveyard wall at Llanegryn Church fell onto a public footpath this week, exposing several graves and headstones.

The Grade I listed church has skeletons in the churchyard which date back as far as the 12th century.

Sickeningly, thieves have made off with several human artefacts including skulls and headstones, according to Nathan Brady, the owner of the field the wall has collapsed into.

Mr Brady said that, following a visit by a Gwynedd Council environmental health officer last week, the whole area was fenced off and locked down.

Mr Brady, who lives next to the church, was horrified by the whole spectacle, which he said looks like a “bombsite”.

“It’s horrendous, there are bones and tombstones halfway down the field,” he told the Cambrian News.

“There are children’s bones, there are remains which have been there for hundreds of years. It’s completely disrespectful.

"Where’s the dignity for the bodies of the deceased and for their families? This could have all been avoided.

“There have been skulls and 17th century Welsh headstones that have all disappeared from the site. People might have been taking them as souvenirs, it’s very upsetting.

“Bones and headstones have also been crushed by the falling wall, it’s a disgrace.”

A spokesperson for Church in Wales said: “The Church continues to work for an amicable agreement with its neighbours for permission to enter their field to rebuild the wall.

"We’re aware of the damage that occurred last week and a decision to close the church and churchyard for services and visitors was taken on Friday for safety reasons.”

See the full story in this week's Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News