ANGRY residents have slammed Dudley Council for allowing a Halesowen graveyard to become an “overgrown disgrace”.

A number of upset family members of people buried in the St John’s churchyard told the News of how they had recently taken matters of clearing up the graves into their own hands.

Jean Cattermole, whose daughter is buried in the cemetery alongside her mum and dad, said: “They cut the edges, but from the road you couldn’t see how high the grass had become in the middle and at the back.

“You know with Halesowen in Bloom coming up that they’ll be doing it soon, but what about the rest of the year when it’s an utter overgrown disgrace.

“We shouldn’t have to cut the grass ourselves. It’s disgusting.”

Just days after Mrs Cattermole spoke to the News, and following complaints from residents and the press, Dudley Council green care workers were seen strimming the grass.

But Rachel Truman said the grass was so long when she recently visited her mother’s grave – claiming it was nine foot high in places – she had to return with a strimmer to cut the grass down herself.

She said: “It was the anniversary of my mother’s death and we went to put flowers down at the grave. I couldn’t believe the height of the grass.

“I unfortunately had to walk over other people’s graves to find my mothers. That’s just not on.”

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for environment, said the authority currently carries out twice yearly cutting and maintenance of the site.

She added: “When we took over the responsibility for maintaining the church yard, it was overgrown and in a state of neglect.

“Like many other councils, we don’t get any additional resource to maintain closed church yards, and have to work around our existing commitments to deliver this work.”

Cllr Simon Phipps said he will be holding an event from 9am until noon on Saturday (June 30) to clear the cuttings away, cut back any overgrown hedges and carry out a general tidy up and litter pick.

For more information about the event, visit www.facebook.com/events/254329302007501/

The Belle Vale councillor said: “I have been campaigning for Halesowen Churchyard, and all other closed churchyards, to receive more maintenance as a result of increased resources being put back into this area.

“A lot of people, including family members of those buried in the churchyard, have contacted me about the current state of it.

“I'm pleased that green care have been out this week to cut the grass.”