FAMILIES have expressed their anger and upset over the state of an overgrown church cemetery in Kidderminster.

Relatives have taken to social media to raise concerns over the condition of loved ones' graves and overgrown grass at St John's Church in Bewdley Road.

Resident Amanda Queenan said: "I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I walked through the cemetery last week.

"It was a mess - it's so overgrown. Some of the graves were so overgrown you couldn't walk round them. If you were elderly or disabled you wouldn't stand a chance.

"It breaks my heart seeing it looking like that. It's really sad.

"I asked some people who were doing their best to keep their loved one's graves clean and tidy who is in charge of keeping the cemetery tidy, but they had no idea.

"They were so angry that the cemetery had been left in that state. They said it's been happening on and off for years."

Laura Betson, team vicar for Kidderminster West, said graveyard maintenance had stopped temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, but assured residents it is now being maintained regularly.

She told The Shuttle: “We’re very sorry for any distress caused by the length of the grass in the graveyard at St John’s Church.

"Although there was a bit of a break due to the Covid restrictions, the graveyard is now maintained regularly.

"In some areas the grass is kept longer to encourage local wildlife, but this shouldn’t stop anyone being able to visit a particular grave and anyone with concerns should get in touch with the parish office so we can look at what might be possible.”