A WOMAN who cleared two bin bags full of rotting grass from her parents' graveside has described the council's maintenance of the site as "disgraceful".

Tina Jones visited her father Albert McKie's grave at West Cemetery, Darlington, last week to pay her respects on his birthday. But the plot was in such a state she spent most of her time tidying up.

She said Street Scene workers from Darlington Borough Council mowed the grass weeks ago but left without picking up the cuttings.

The family complained but Mrs Jones found that the graveyard was in just as bad a state when she returned to lay flowers on the anniversary of her father's death yesterday.

"The council should be ashamed of the state of the graveyard, it is disgraceful," said Mrs Jones, of Thompson Street West.

"It is covered in grass that has been lying there for ages and ages and it is beginning to smell.

"The grass is lying around in clumps and is starting to rot. It stinks.

"I got so sick of it I decided to have a clear up myself and came away with two black bags full of cuttings."

Mr McKie and his late wife Ena are buried at the cemetery at Carmel Road North.

Mrs Jones, aged 48, regularly visits the grave but said the condition of the site has become worse since the council took over responsibility for its maintenance.

"The cemetery used to be lovely but now Street Scene deal with it," she said.

"I dont see why I should have to trudge through that mess. It is disrespectful to the people who are buried there and their families who visit them.

"I'm not the only one who has complained about this - many other people have. It is terrible that we go to pay our respects and see the place in such a state.

"I pay my council tax so that this kind of thing is taken care of but they are not doing it properly as far as I am concerned.

"Why should I have to clear the grave all the time? Cemeteries are supposed to be well kept and maintained. My parents deserve better than this."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We are aware of this problem.

"The team of Street Scene workers based in the cemetery spent last weekend raking up the grass cuttings to make the area look better.

"We are looking at the structure of Street Scene and the possibility of creating a dedicated team to work in all three cemeteries in the Borough, which would hopefully prevent problems like this occurring."