Depraved drug dealers are targeting a cemetery to carry out crimes, it can be revealed – forcing campaigners to make renewed calls for heightened security, months after vandals repeatedly struck child graves.

Bereaved parents urged the district council to install new safety measures at High Wycombe cemetery in Hampden Road after a sickening spate of vandalism to children’s graves last year.

It was a victory for the distraught families when the council agreed to a raft of new proposals to improve security, including new CCTV, and although the vandalism appears to have stopped, a new problem has surfaced – dealers using the cemetery toilets to peddle drugs.

The culprits have not been able to be caught – because new CCTV cameras covering the toilets are not yet working due to a “connection issue”.

Elaine Jewell, head of community at Wycombe District Council, said the footage collected of the incidents was handed over to police but it was not good enough to identify the perpetrators.

She said: “We have had an incident of drug dealing in the toilet, and while that is not vandalism, it’s not behaviour we would like to see in the cemetery. Once we get that camera working, we think we can provide good footage to the police.”

In a report to the High Wycombe town committee, she said drug dealing had been taking place for a “short while” and they were working with police to stop it.

Following a campaign from parents – including the father of eight-year-old Olivia Chandler, who sadly passed away after suffering an asthma attack at school – a package of measures have been put in place at the cemetery.

It comes after Mr Chandler said Olivia’s grave was “left bare” after thieves reportedly stole all the decorations around it.

Another family revealed their heartbreak after a part of their baby son’s gravestone was torn off and discarded just a few feet away.

The council has already installed CCTV at the two main gateways and on the rear entrance to the children’s Snowdrop Garden.

Permanent closure of the Hampden Road/Snowdrop entrance has also been implemented.

Extra fencing and planting is due to be installed, however the council has faced a setback after a wall – which the fence will go on top of – collapsed twice, forcing them to do remedial repairs.

However, the council does not think higher gates are necessary – with Ms Jewell adding: “We haven’t had incidents of people climbing them and we have CCTV on those entrances and it seems to be effective.

“We have checked with Thames Valley Police and they have no reported incidents and we have also spoken to the lead petitioner, who was Mr Chandler, and he has had nothing reported to him and he hasn’t experienced any vandalism himself.

“What we have done has proved sufficient at the moment.”

The measures were well-received by councillors, with Cllr Lesley Clarke adding: “It shows we do have compassion for people when they come and give us incidences of what was happening and none of us liked what we heard. I fully support what has been put forward.”