Sister has to tend seven family graves due to 'lack of Northampton cemetery staff'

Wendy Swift, from Duston, visits the graves of her twin brother, sister, parents, grandparents and uncle at Dallington Cemetery every fortnight.

But Mrs Swift, aged 65, has been forced to cut the grass herself after attending and finding the job half-finished, with some grass cut but large clumps left growing near the headstones.

A tearful Mrs Swift told the Chronicle & Echo: “Not only that but my brother’s grave had sunk a couple of feet, seemingly quite a while ago, and nothing had been done.

“We had to put soil on ourselves.

“It’s makes me feel hurt, because I’m his twin and it’s like he’s being neglected.”

Out of kindness, Mrs Swift also tidied up a neighbouring grave and claimed many other were left in a similar unkempt state.

Northampton Borough Council said yesterday it had spoken to its contractors, Enterprise, about the issue.

A spokeswoman said: “We sincerely apologise that the maintenance of the cemetery is below the standard of that we would normally supply.

“We have sought to recruit additional staff to assist with the maintenance of the cemeteries and churchyards in Northampton and Daventry.”