A FAMILY is “heartbroken” after they attended the grave of a much-loved dad in Ellesmere Port to discover a mound of earth had been dumped on it.

Lauren Kenny wrote on Facebook that she was “totally disgusted” by the actions of Cheshire West and Chester Council at Overpool Cemetery.

Posting a picture on the public Pride in the Port page on Friday (March 22), she said: “We’re absolutely heartbroken. My sister and my partner went to pay their respects to my dad yesterday after only burying him the end of January!

“They were mortified when they came to see him like this! How is this right? Totally disgusted at the lack of respect shown!”

However, a spokesman for CWaC said it is common practice when digging new graves to place the earth on wooden boards on the adjacent plot. Any mess is always cleared up straight after.

In a statement to the Standard, she said: “A new grave was in the process of being prepared next to the grave of Ms Kenny’s father when Ms Kenny visited the cemetery.

“It is usual practice in cemeteries and graveyards that, when a new grave is needed, excavated soil may be temporarily placed on the grave next to it for a short period. The soil is placed on a protective wooden platform over the grave space rather than directly on the grave itself, and the grave space is returned to its original appearance once the burial has taken place in the next grave. In this case, the grave space was reinstated the very next day.

“We’re sorry if this has caused the Kenny family any upset.”