Vandals have removed memorial flowers from a fatal accident spot on the A379, near Cofford Farm, Dawlish.

The flowers were put there in memory of Rowdy Blackwell, who was a passenger in a Vauxhall Corsa which collided with a stone wall and ended up in a ditch 15 feet below the road.

March 5 was the third anniversary of his death, and this vandalism has upset and angered his family.

Maria Cook, Rowdy's mother, said: 'Since our son was killed, we have placed flowers at the accident spot on the fifth day of every month.

'On March 5, we tied the flowers to the railings in order to prevent them blowing away, and with this being the anniversary of his death, extra flowers had been placed there.

'We felt very proud when we left the area and it looked very pretty.'

After having pulled through another year without Rowdy, Mrs Cook heard the news about the flowers a few days later.

'I received a phone call from my distraught son, Stryka, just after 8pm on the morning of March 7.

'He was returning from Essex, and as he drove past he noticed that all the heads of one bunch and one rose had been removed. The string had been cut and all that remained were a few heads on the floor.

'The flowers are placed there because it's our way of coping, but also as a reminder to drivers to slow down.

'So many accidents have happened along that stretch of road, and we would like to think that this has helped prevent another family from suffering the loss of a loved one.

'We believe the flowers were taken either late on the Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday morning. We can't begin to understand what would possess anyone to carry out such a wicked act, or the mentality of those involved.

'If it was just for a laugh, then we'd like to tell them that it wasn't funny.

'If someone doesn't approve of flowers being placed there, why didn't they talk to us about it?

'Whoever did this must have realised the flowers were in memory of Rowdy, and removing them would cause hurt.

'The flowers have now been replaced, and we would like to ask whoever did this to please leave them alone and allow Rowdy to rest, and his family to grieve in peace.'