Police are stepping up their hunt to trace vandals who broke into a cemetery and desecrated babies' graves.

Families were heartbroken when they arrived at the cemetery in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, to find yobs had trampled on six of the nine graves in the infants' area. Decorations on the graves, including Easter eggs, windmills and teddy bears, were thrown aside or broken.

Flowers had been tossed around, a rose bush at the head of one grave was uprooted to leave a gaping hole and a fence around another was torn down.

Police are stepping up patrols in the area and appealing for witnesses.

Sharon Evans, 37, from Portslade, arrived at her son Archie's vandalised grave with her husband and two children.

Archie died moments after being born in February.

Sharon tried to convince her other children the wind had caused the damage. She said: "You think they would be safe there. That's the one thing we feel about Archie dying that at least he's safe from the world. And then this happens and you think, they're not safe anywhere.

"You don't expect such a thing to happen and I can't understand how anyone could do it because it's obvious they are babies' graves.

"All the parents have gone to lots of trouble to decorate them and make them look nice."

One mother, who buried her 11-day-old son there only six weeks ago, said: "My son's grave had footprints on it, a mini windmill was thrown against a wall, his big windmill had been thrown on to the baby's grave beside him, his butterfly memorial had been thrown on to another baby's grave and his teddies had been moved around.

"We have no idea who could have done these cruel, disgusting things to our babies' graves or why."

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: "We are appalled and understand how deeply shocking this must be for the parents and relatives.

"Hove Cemetery is locked up every night. However, stopping people breaking in if they've made their minds up to do it is almost impossible.

"We hope in time the families will be able to recover from these sick actions."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: "This is a thoroughly appalling crime which has caused a lot of distress and heartache to the families."

Anyone with information should call 0845 6070 999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.