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Widower, 78, ‘absolutely devastated’ as memorial bench for late wife is destroyed

A Scunthorpe man who lost his beloved wife of 55 years last year has been left “absolutely devastated” after the memorial bench he installed for her was destroyed on the same day it was erected.

John Costello, 78, spent three months creating the memorial bench for his late wife Val, who passed away after a long illness last August, as a permanent fixture for her loved ones to remember her by.

On Tuesday, March 5, he had the bench installed in a spot at Bottesford Beck, close to his home – but was left devastated after the fixture was ripped out of the ground and moved to the other side of the path, sustaining damage in the process.

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John – who cared for his wife in her final years – said: “I was absolutely devastated because we’d planned it, got permission from the Council, got it down there, put it up, and it took three months of planning.

“It was part of my grieving process – I could go down there and sit on the bench, because the beck is just a five-minute walk from my house. I was just so upset that someone could go and intentionally desecrate the bench.



John and his late wife Val, who died in August 2023

“The arm and other pieces of wood came off the bench and the seating area at one end has dropped down. The anchors were still attached to it, so I don’t know how they managed to get it out because we all tried to lift it or pull it and we couldn’t, so they obviously used some force.”

John managed to salvage the brass plaque for Val, which luckily was not damaged during the incident. It reads: “Treasured Memories of a wonderful lady, Val Costello, April 8 1946 – August 25 2023. A very loving and dearly loved wife and mother. In our hearts you will forever stay.”



One arm of the bench was pulled off during the incident

“Everybody was so upset. It’s her birthday next month, so the idea was for all her pals she used to go to lunch with to go down to the bench and have some Prosecco and nibbles,” he said.

“The bench is being repaired and we think we can still get it up in time, but all her pals are absolutely devastated because she went through so much over the last five years and really suffered.”

With the help of a Design Technology teacher who is repairing the bench and the co-operation of North Lincolnshire Council, John hopes to have it re-fitted at Bottesford Beck in the coming weeks.

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe

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