HEAVY rain and a blocked drain have led to graves being flooded at Blacon Cemetery.

The Standard was contacted yesterday (Tuesday, April 10) by concerned resident Charlene Molloy whose beloved mum Patricia is buried in the grounds.

She said: “The graves are becoming flooded and the water is getting closer to mum’s. The council needs to do something about it.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council said the drain was being unblocked and new turf would be placed at the cemetery when the weather improves.

Maria Byrne, director of place operations, said: “I do hope families haven’t been too inconvenienced over the past few days at Blacon Cemetery following the heavy rain.

“The ground at the cemetery is mostly clay, and so water can pool during periods of particularly heavy or prolonged rain. It can take a while for the land to drain but generally the conditions improve after a day. The water level was slightly higher this week due to a blocked drain that is now being unblocked.

“We also added an additional sump hole a couple of months ago to help us pump some of the excess water away following heavy rain.

“As soon as the weather becomes drier we will also be replacing the turf in affected areas which will improve the overall appearance.”