Woman '˜heartbroken' after huge piles of soil dumped on her parents' grave at Derbyshire cemetery

Katherine Murphy visited her parents’ headstone at Eckington Cemetery on New Year’s Day to place a special plaque.

But when she got there she was horrified to find that she could not get close to their grave because a load of soil from an interment had been dumped around it.

“I was devastated when I saw it and heartbroken and I think it is disgraceful how they have done it,” Katherine said.

“They put the soil on the next grave which happened to be my mum and dad’s.

“I could not get to the headstone or anything.

“I could not put the plaque on because the soil had been put that close.

“It is disrespectful.”

Katherine’s dad Jeffery died six years ago, while her mum Kathleen passed away nine months ago.

She has placed handmade decorations at their grave and planted some bulbs for Spring.

When she visited the cemetery on New Year’s Day she intended to place a heart-shaped plaque which said ‘Special Mum’.

“With my mum only passing away nine months ago it is still very raw,” Katherine told us.

“I was heartbroken because it is the only thing I have got left of them.”

Katherine, of Mosborough, added: “I don’t want it happening to anyone else.”

Chairman of Eckington Parish Council, Councillor Brian Ridgway, said: “We will be issuing an unreserved apology to Ms Murphy.

“It is obvious that in this case that we have fallen below the standards which we set ourselves.

“I have asked for an immediate review of all policies and procedures in relation to this type of situation in the cemetery with a view to ensuring that no other member of the public has the same experience.”