A KINDHEARTED teenager who was moved by the overgrown grave of a DLI First World War soldier has been praised for tidying up the forgotten plot.

Maria O’Hanlon, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, came across the final resting place of Lance Corporal Andrew Bell (AB) Briggs while taking a graveyard shortcut back to her digs at Nottingham Trent University last month.

Her family was involved in the ultimately failed campaign to save Durham City's Durham Light Infantry Museum from closure, her father’s second cousin, Frank O’Brien, having served with the DLI in North Africa during the Second World War.

She noticed the prominent DLI emblem on the headstone and was saddened by the state of the grave. The stone was discoloured and the area surrounded with weeds.

The 19-year-old biomedical sciences student posted a picture on the Save the DLI Museum Facebook page and, overwhelmed by the response, resolved to spruce up the plot on returning to Nottingham after her Easter break.

She and her mother Dawn O’Hanlon spent 45 minutes tidying up the grave, scrubbing the headstone, pulling up weeds, planting primroses and scattering wild seeds.

When Miss O’Hanlon posted an “after” photo on Facebook, she was showered with praise.

“What a wonderful thing to do,” posted Melanie Hodgson. “Marvellous gesture,” said David Bell. “This act of kindness by both of you has touched me,” wrote Steve Scott.

“It’s really struck a chord,” the teenager said.

“It (the grave) shocked me. Lots of people were horrified at the state of it.

“This is someone who gave their life for our country and we can’t even show respect after he’s died.

“It was really sad this particular person wasn’t given the final resting place he deserved.

“I hope we’ve done Lance Corporal Briggs proud.”

Her mother added: “She likes doing things like this. She’s a very helpful person. It was quite poignant (in the cemetery). It brings it home what people did.”

L/Cpl Briggs served with the 12th Battalion, the DLI. A gas fitter from Nottingham, he died of pneumonia in a hospital in Hampshire on Valentine’s Day 1915, aged 22, and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.