They kept describing it as an 'unfortunate error' - I think it's a demonstration of malpractice

Alan Perchard

But it turned out that the grave Mr Perchard had been tending for 20 years was, in fact, empty.

Council officials revealed that about a fifth of the 735 graves in one part of the cemetery have the wrong names on the headstone, or contain no bodies at all.

A superintendent at the cemetery has been sacked.

A council spokesman said the issue first came to light 20 years ago relating to burials between 1979 and 1981 in blocks 99 and 101 of the cemetery.

"At all times the council has been open with relatives. If relatives have asked us to check graves we have done so and will continue to do so," he said.

"Graves have also been checked when second burials have occurred.

We are confident that there have been no problems since 1981 when new, stringent procedures were introduced

Newport council spokesman

"In every case relatives have been informed if there has been an error and we have been able to locate their relatives.

"We are confident that there have been no problems since 1981 when new, stringent procedures were introduced."

Mr Perchard, 58, from Risca, had been tending the grave of his great uncle, Frederick Osborne, since his death in 1981.

But when the gravediggers returned to the plot to bury Mr Perchard's aunt, they found it was empty.

A check of the cemetery diary for 1981 showed that Mr Osborne had actually been buried in an adjacent row.

Mr Perchard claimed the council failed to take the matter seriously enough when the problem came to light.

Many headstones mark the wrong graves

"They kept describing it as an 'unfortunate error' - I think it's a demonstration of malpractice."

A senior council official said they would waive his aunt's cemetery fees of �300 and pay an additional �300 compensation.

Mr Perchard said a subsequent letter from the council described the offer as an "ex gratia" payment with no admission of liability.

An attempt by Newport Councillor Garry Brown to raise the issue at a council meeting on Tuesday was blocked, on the grounds that the mistake was made so long ago.

Mr Perchard has vowed to file a complaint to the local government ombudsman if the authority does not improve its response.

"I believe there is a personal injustice," he said.

"Councillors have reneged on their obligations to the electorate."

"They need to address it very quickly."

A relatives helpline has been set up on 01633 232812.