'Disrespectful!' Grieving family devastated after veteran's grave left under mound of dirt
WATCH: Charlie Peters reports from Oosterbeek Airbourne Cemetery in Renkum
GB News
A family of a veteran were left in disbelief after they found a mountain of dirt had been dumped on his grave on what would have been his birthday.
Clare Williams had stopped at the cemetery to pay regards to her late brother-in-law Tony Davies at Flint Cemetery in North Wales.
However, she was shocked to find a huge mound of earth from a neighbouring plot over the former Royal Welch Fusilier's final resting place
Williams, 48, said that she had to contact her sister Sarah Growcott who was also on her way to pay her respects, so she didn't have to see the state of her late husband's grave.
Flint Cemetery in Flintshire
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She told North Wales Live: "It's my brother-in-law's grave. I went to the grave on Tuesday morning to wish him Happy Birthday because it was his first birthday since he died ten months ago. I couldn't find it at first. I was a bit puzzled about where it was.
"Then it came to me that it was there where the soil is. I totally get that they've got to dig up graves but it's the fact that there were flowers on top of flowers
"We haven't got a headstone yet because it's so many months before you an put one on. You could clearly see there was no respect whatsoever.
"In this day and age it shouldn't have happened. It is disrespectful."
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Flintshire County Council have apologised
The pair didn't go back until the evening of Davies's birthday when the soil had been removed.
However, WIlliams said: "There were flowers put back on Tony's grave which weren't even his which proves there was no respect. He served in the Army for 13 years and this is how he gets treated in his final resting place."
Davies left the forces and was working at Kimberly-Clark paper plant before his death in 2024.
A spokesman from Flintshire County Council apologised to the family, saying that they are taking measures to ensure this does not happen again
Chief Officer for Streetscene and Transportation Katie Wilby said: "We have been made aware of an issue that occurred at Flint Cemetery on Tuesday. During the grave digging process, soil was deposited for a short amount of time on an adjacent grave, which covered the flowers and other items at the grave.
"Unfortunately, a family member visited the grave during this process, and I offer my sincere apologies for the distress this caused.
"Where necessary, sometimes excavated earth is place on adjacent graves during the grave digging process, which is a recognised practice when there isn’t sufficient space within the cemetery or it is impractical to move the soil elsewhere.
"In such cases, the soil is placed on groundsheets or in soil boxes wherever possible to maintain the integrity of the grave site and items such as flowers are temporarily moved to ensure their safekeeping and returned once the work is complete.
"However, we are aware this did not happen in this instance and we are taking measures to ensure this does not happen again.
"We understand that families may find the process upsetting and distressful, and we appreciate that this is a sensitive matter; however, our staff are required to carry out their duties with the utmost care and respect and do their best not to disturb the original site and nearby graves."
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