Handsworth Cemetery floods damage graves

Families and volunteers have been working to fill the sunken graves themselves, after flooding at Handsworth Cemetery

Families have asked for help to restore relatives' graves badly damaged in flooding at a Birmingham cemetery.

Mohammed Ishtiaq, who tends to his mother's grave at Handsworth Cemetery, said many of them had "sunk" after heavy rain at he weekend.

"We are trying to fill as many as we can," he said.

Birmingham City Council said it "wholeheartedly" apologised to affected families and the affected area was in a new part of the cemetery.

Opposition Conservative councillors said it was the second time it had flooded in recent months.

Opposition councillors blamed poor maintenance for the flood damage

The families have launched a petition calling on Birmingham City Council to improve maintenance, which has attracted more than 3,700 signatures.

Conservative Councillor Ken Wood claimed "poor maintenance, including not clearing leaf fall from drains" had played a large part in the problems when the cemetery last flooded in August.

"The thought of grieving families being forced to dig trenches to stop loved ones graves being destroyed by flood water is devastating, and sadly entirely avoidable," he said.

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Birmingham City Council said: "This is a new area of the cemetery and staff were working over the weekend at this particular location.

"Works are ongoing and regular maintenance is being undertaken at the site."