A COUNCIL chief is to meet with the company employed to cut grass after complaints from a woman that her father's grave had been damaged.

Daphne Oliver was distraught when she discovered what looked like lawnmower damage on the black granite at the family plot in Burnopfield Cemetery, near Stanley.

It has since emerged that Derwentside District Council has received about 20 similar complaints.

The grass-cutting work is done by Tow Law-based Batson Environmental and Leisure, which won the contract worth more than £400,000 last April.

Derwentside District Council chief executive Mike Clark said the council had written to the company asking it to review its working methods.

He said the environment director Peter Reynolds was planning to meet representatives from the business to discuss the matter further.

Mr Clark said: "We believe that in a number of cases, which we believe to be 20, the way the grass-cutting has been done has caused the damage.

"We have written to the company about this and will be meeting in the near future to discuss it further."

The council has already renewed the firm's contract for the next financial year.

Clinical nurse advisor Mrs Oliver, 50, discovered the damage at her father Christopher Ranson's grave in August.

She has written to the council and Batson Environmental and Leisure to get the damage repaired.

Mrs Oliver said: "I was furious when I saw the damage and my mother, who is 82, is distraught."

Batson Environmental and Leisure's director is Terry Batson, who is also chairman of Tow Law Town Council.

He said: "We have received correspondence from the authority and it is being looked at. Our working methods are being reviewed.

"We are going to have a dedicated cemetery team, so they aware of the sensitivities of working in cemeteries.

"I know how emotive these things can be and I do not want Mrs Oliver to suffer more grief.

"This situation will be looked at on Monday. I will not renege on my responsibilities."