A GRIEVING mother was horrified to find earth had been dumped on her son's grave over the weekend by workmen who were preparing for another burial.

Marlene Ainsworth, of Kay Street, Darwen, whose son Robert Wheatman died in Preston Prison last year, had gone to the Blackburn council run Darwen eastern cemetery to place flowers on the grave.

But when she arrived she found a large mound of earth dug from the ground next to her son's resting place, had been piled on top and she was unable to leave the floral tribute.

The earth mound remained on the grave until today when the neighbouring grave was filled following a funeral.

Mrs Ainsworth said: "I am on mobility allowance and don't find it easy to get around, but when the weather is fine I go to Robert's grave.

"It was a lovely day on Saturday and so I bought some flowers and I went to the cemetery with my husband George.

"We couldn't believe it when we saw what had happened. Robert's grave isn't marked by a headstone because we couldn't afford one when he died, but that's not because he wasn't loved.

"I've been offered an apology but it just isn't good enough." Robert, who was 28 when he died, suffered bleeding on the brain while he was serving a sentence in Preston Prison last October.

A coroner's inquest recorded a verdict of death by natural causes earlier this year.

Eddie Runswick, director of community and leisure services responsible for the cemetery, said: "The earth is from an adjacent grave which was prepared for a funeral today.

"It is normal practice to put the earth on the adjacent grave. The only other alternative would be to wheelbarrow the earth away.

"The grave was prepared on Friday afternoon because the staff would not be working on the bank holiday.

"The ground was reinstated after this morning's funeral. We apologise to Mrs Ainsworth that she has found this distressing."

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