AN ELDERLY widower is devastated after flowers were stolen from a bench in memorial of his wife.

Victor Arram, 85, of Hamlet Court Road, Southend paid a visit to his wife, Loretta's memorial bench at Western Esplanade, Southend to find that the flowers he laid for her had been stolen.

Mr Arram was devastated by the act, saying that he could not understand how someone could be so disrespectful.

He said: "This is the sort of act someone who does not care would commit.

"They have just taken my wife's flowers because the wanted them, they did not think about what they meant, they just took them without thinking."

Mr Arram's wife, who he calls Lettie, sadly died nine years ago de to liver cancer.

She was 74-years-old at the time of her death.

Mr Arram wanted to pay tribute to his wife, buying the bench near to the stairs up to the Cliffs Pavilion with a plaque dedicated to her.

The bench cost him £1,000.

Mr Arram added: "I was deeply saddened when I got there, I put flowers down for my wife every month or so and I like to go there and just talk to her.

"Our neighbours who knew like to do it too.

"We had so many memories on the seafront and it really is an area for me to just relax and remember our life together."

Julian Ware-Lane, councillor for Milton hopes that the perpetrator will be punished for the theft that has caused a lot of hurt to Mr Arram.

He said: "I have a memorial bench to my parents as well. I go to see it quite often and I understand the sentimental value of something like this.

"Thankfully, 99 per cent of people are perfectly responsible in their conduct, however, sadly there is a minority that do these terrible things.

"This is symptomatic of things going on in our society today. It leads you to believe that all is not well.

"My sympathies are with the gentleman who this has been done to, and I hope this does not stop him from continuing to pay tribute to his wife."