YOUNG Muslims have volunteered to help tidy up an overgrown Rowley Regis churchyard.

Members of the Halesowen-based Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association answered a plea for help in the News from St Giles vicar Rev Ian Shelton.

He is hoping for community support on Saturday (July 12) to cut the grass which has grown to 6ft high in places around the large churchyard, leaving distressed relatives unable to find the graves of their loved ones.

Offenders who usually cut the grass through the Community Payback Scheme were unable to do so this year because of staffing shortages and the rapidly growing grass was too much to cope with for the mainly elderly congregation.

Although in the last couple of weeks the payback team has been able to do some of the work, Rev Shelton said there was still a lot to do.

Youth association charity co-ordinator Fareed Ahmad said:”One of the central principles of Islam is helping others.”

Young Muslims have also held collections at Tescos and Morrisons during June to raise money for UNICEF, the British Heart Foundation and the Smethwick Foodbank .

Rowley Regis Scouts have also offered to help cut the grass and a man with a lawnmower did some work there after last month’s News appeal.

Anyone who can help should go along to the churchyard, off Church Road, from 10am. They are asked to take along their own tools, to supervise children and report to a supervisor on arrival.