Thieves steal Ian Curtis memorial from Macclesfield Cemetery

Thieves have stolen Joy Division singer Ian Curtis's memorial kerbstone, police said today.

The theft occurred between Monday lunch time and Tuesday morning at Macclesfield Cemetery on Prestbury Road in Cheshire.

Today, police urged anyone with information to contact them.

Inspector Gareth Woods, of Cheshire Police, described the theft of the iconic singer's kerbstone as "very unusual".

"We would hope someone locally would have knowledge about who is responsible or where the memorial stone is at present," he said.

"I would appeal to anyone with such information to contact Cheshire Police."

The father-of-one hanged himself when he was just 23.

Many biographies have been written about the "Love Will Tear Us Apart" singer with several films of his life created - including last year's acclaimed Control starring Sam Riley and Samantha Morton, who played his wife Deborah.

Today, a spokesman confirmed she had been told of the theft from the site which, he said, is visited by thousands of fans from around the world each year.

Tony Barker, spokesman for Macclesfield Borough Council, which runs the site, said: "It is a kerbstone, not a headstone, and it isn't especially deep.

"Just big enough to bear the epitaph Love Will Tear Us Apart.

"It would usually have flowers behind it and mementoes to Ian Curtis's life.

"It wasn't concreted in but tarmacked up to it.

"This has never happened before and we are agog that someone's gone to the trouble of taking it out. We are stunned."

Bill North, the council's services manager, added: "I'm shocked this has happened.

"Someone's gone to a great deal of trouble to remove the memorial stone and I hope our appeal will help return it as soon as possible."