A Burlington man is upset that someone vandalized a graveyard in the small community on Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula this weekend.

Brian Perry, who was one of the first Burlington residents to discover the damage, said he visited the graveyard Sunday, but was shocked to see that 22 headstones had been knocked over.

Many of the damaged headstones belonged to members of Perry's family. Some of them had been in place for more than 75 years.

"I didn't feel very good about it and there's a good many people who felt like I did, too, because it was their fathers, and it was my uncles and my aunts and my grandmother," said Perry

Perry said he returned to the graveyard Monday to repair some of the damage.

Erecting father's headstone again

"My uncle, he's 75 years old. He went down today to help me at it … and he found it kind of hard," Perry said Monday.

"I mean, I erected my dad's and I had to go erect it again today."

The RCMP is investigating the incident.

However, Const. Michael Babstock said almost everyone he talks to in the community, which has a population of about 400, is at a loss to explain what happened.

"Word has gotten out right around the community and people are generally upset about this," said Babstock. 

"It's not a normal occurrence in Burlington, and they're upset to have this type of thing happen in their small, close-knit town."

Police have not made any arrests, but Babstock said they have received information that should help with their investigation. He is hoping anyone who may have more information will come forward soon.