Former residents and abuse survivors gathered at Quarriers children's home today to commemorate hundreds of children that laid in unmarked graves.

The service marked the end of a successful campaign to have the headstones reinstated in the Renfrewshire cemetery near Bridge of Weir. 

A white rose was laid on the grave markers in honour of each of the 335 children buried there. 

Nittinghill Graveyard now has 155 grave markers in place, complementing a memorial plaque. 

Sandy Smith and Jayne Savery, former residents of the home, started the campaign two years ago after they found out 80 headstones had been removed in the 1960s. 

The headstones had dated from 1888 until 1971 and their removal left the children in unmarked graves. 

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Quarriers is one of the organisations investigated in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry about abuse upon some of the children in its care. 

Mr Smith grew up in the home and decided to confront his experience of abuse by revisiting the home. 

It was during this visit he and Ms Savery realised that Nittinghill Graveyard's headstones had disappeared. 

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In 2017, Mr Smith reached out to Quarriers and launched a campaign to have the headstones restored after which the charity apologised for their removal. 

On Thursday 26 September a service was held to dedicate the grave markers for the children.