MOURNERS who have visited a Darlington cemetery for decades have added their voices to criticisms of the state of the burial ground.

Last week, Darlington Borough Council denied claims that its workers had carried out no work at the town's East Cemetery since January.

But complaints that the area has become a vandals' playground have continued to be voiced by people with relatives buried there.

Pauline Swales, 60, who has been visiting the cemetery every other day since her six-month-old daughter Allison died 35 years ago, said it had deteriorated from a haven of peace to a frightening place.

With other mourners, she has discussed paying for private security to stop the vandalism she says is rife in the cemetery, but feels that any approach to the council would be fruitless.

"It used to be a pure pleasure to come in here, but now it's just a nightmare," she said. "You don't know what you are going to find."

Mrs Swales, whose parents are also buried in the cemetery, said she would like to see security fencing installed, or to have a more visible security presence to deter the vandals.

She says the gates are no longer locked at night, and she has passed as late as 11pm and seen them standing open.

"It is soul-destroying. It is a thoroughfare and a football pitch for kids - and there are people drinking," she said.

John Blanchard, who has been visiting a family grave since 1976, said people stole flowers that had been left at the headstones of loved ones.

"As soon as you put flowers on, they are gone," he said.

Nobody from the council was available for comment last night, but a spokesman has previously said there has been no reduction to staffing at the cemetery.

A five-year programme of action to care for parks, open spaces and cemeteries in the borough has been drawn up by the authority