A WOMAN says she was brought to tears after her father-in-law’s grave was covered under a huge mound of soil.

Michelle Hauton said she and other relatives of 64-year-old Mick Hauton, from John Street, Chirk, were left stunned after finding the earth piled high on the grave at Chirk Cemetery.

Mr Hauton died in February of cancer.

“The first I knew about it was when my sister-in-law Amanda Wright phoned me up to tell me what had happened,” said Michelle.

”She was very upset and I went to take a look for myself. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and walked out of there crying.

“Around 3ft of soil had been piled on top of my father-in-law’s grave. This has hurt my family so much and other people have told us they think it is terrible.”

Mrs Hauton said that her father-in-law was a very popular man and had shown tremendous courage in battling cancer.

The soil was piled on top of the grave by workers digging another grave close by.

“He worked hard all his life and hardly ever had a day off,” said Michelle.

“He is a man who is deeply missed and to see his grave treated in this way is very distressing. We don’t want anyone else to have to go through this.”

She added that a pottery figure of a Welsh dragon which had been placed on the grave as a treasured keepsake had been damaged.

Sam Hughes, the clerk to Chirk Town Council, stressed the authority had no wish to distress grieving relatives.

He said: “We are sorry if this has caused upset for anyone. Standard procedures were followed throughout.

“Great care is taken to ensure the grave which has the soil placed on it from the digging is treated with upmost respect. It is returned to its previous condition after the earth has been put back in the newly dug grave.”

Mr Hughes added that if members of Mr Hauton’s family got in touch regarding any damage caused he would look into the matter.