Vandal breaks Ebenezer Scrooge’s tombstone used in ‘A Christmas Carol’

LONDON — If life imitates art, a vandal could be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet for smashing a tombstone that marked the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge in the English countryside.

Shrewsbury police are investigating the destruction of the headstone, which had been in place for 40 years after being used as a film prop in ‘A Christmas Carol’.

The 1984 film, one of dozens of adaptations of the Charles Dickens classic, starred George C. Scott as the cold-hearted curmudgeon. After falling asleep on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of the past, present and future and shown the mistake he made in order to become a kinder and more generous person.

The future ghost shows Scrooge what will happen to his life if he doesn’t change. He is eventually led to a cemetery where the ghost cleans snow from a tombstone which reveals his name. Scrooge, shocked by everything he has seen, vows to change his life.

After filming, the stone was kept in place on the grounds of St. Chad’s Church where it had become a tourist attraction, particularly at Christmas.

West Mercia Police said the stone was vandalized between Thursday and Sunday. Photos showed it broken into several pieces.