A STONEMASONRY company has offered to clean up a grave which was left on Mother's Day with a pile of soil dumped on top of it.

Debbie Guyett thought her mother's grave had been dug up when she visited West Cemetery in Darlington to pay her respects on Sunday.

But a huge load of soil had been dumped on top of it, right up to the headstone, knocking parts of vases off and leaving the stone dirty.

Bambridge Brothers, which supplied the original headstone, said: "We have seen the photos over the weekend.

"When the council have cleared the grave off give us a ring and we will go and clean it and put some more flower pots in for you."

Other mourners visiting on Mother's Day complained about fallen trees obscuring graves and bark chippings being laid, which had caused some damage to some graves.

Darlington Borough Council, which maintains the cemetery, said routine maintenance had to be carried out year-round and the trees had been left until the ground was more dry.