Brothers' skulls still missing, a year after grave robbery that sickened travellers

The skulls of two 16-year-olds were removed from a grave in a "sickening" escalation of a feud between travelling families

The crime sickened the travelling community and was linked to an ongoing feud between families in South Yorkshire and the North East.

Last November 21 at Metal Bridge Cemetery in County Durham, police were called after someone noticed damage to the grave of Levi George Price and Gareth Price, who were both 16 when they died in 2001 and 2005 respectively. The brothers’ skulls were taken and have not been located, despite police appeals and major searches around traveller sites.

A year ago Detective Superintendent Adrian Green said: “I think anyone would agree, from whatever community you might come from, that this is a depraved act.”

Gareth Price was found hanging at a young offenders’ institution in 2005, the day before he was due to be sentenced for rape. An inquest found he had been let down by a series of people in authority.

Levi Price was found hanging in a shed in 2001. The coroner found he could not be sure the teenager intended to kill himself.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “The investigation continues. Anyone with information should contact police.”