RELATIVES of loved ones buried at two Poole graveyards are angry at the overgrown state they were allowed to get into.

Complaints included pathways almost inaccessible at Hamworthy’s St Michaels Church and knee-high foliage at Parkstone Cemetery.

Oakdale resident Nicola Wood told the Daily Echo: “We went down to my father’s grave at Parkstone Cemetery on Father’s Day last Sunday and it was quite upsetting.

“The whole place was overgrown, there was another family there that was upset as well.”

The 38-year-old mum-of-two said Borough of Poole should have done more to ensure the cemetery was tidy for the occasion, as many relatives make special trips on that particular day.

Council workers, who finally cut back the grass at St Michael’s on Wednesday, have now started doing the same at Parkstone, but this could take up to three weeks to complete.

Ms Wood added: “The cemetery is usually quite well maintained, my dad’s grave is down at the end and it’s nice to sit there. But on Father’s Day it was just dreadful, you couldn’t appreciate anything down there at all.”

Barry and Avril Frampton contacted the Echo about their concerns following a visit to St Michael’s Church graveyard.

Mr Frampton said: “We tend our mother’s grave at St Michael’s at least once a fortnight.

“When we arrived on Sunday we could barely see our mother’s headstone. As you can imagine this was very upsetting.”

Meanwhile, Michelle Lines – whose father is buried at St Michaels and grandfather at Parkstone Cemetery – said she was shocked by the state of both graveyards.

“My Nan is in her 90s and there was no way she could walk down to put flowers on her husband’s grave. It was so upsetting.”

Borough of Poole streetscene services manager Kate Langdown said the prolonged wet winter and spring have made it difficult to access and cut grounds without causing damage.

She added: “We do appreciate the importance of this service to the residents of Poole.

“We trust residents will notice an improvement shortly and thank them for their patience and understanding.”