Anger over repeated flooding of cemetery graves

People have described parts of a cemetery as being "like a lake" after it flooded again over the weekend.

North Walsall Cemetery is known for having poor drainage and in 2020, Walsall Council spent more than £260,000 on drainage works to try and improve the issue.

Diane Wilson, 50, said: "I went to my mum's plot but I was sinking in the mud. I couldn't put flowers down because I was getting stuck in the mud."

The local authority has been approached for a response about the latest flooding.

Wilson added: "The one in front of my mum's was like a river.

"I usually go up and sit there and have a flask of tea but I couldn't even put flowers there. It was awful."

"Before she passed, she always, always said 'make sure there's always fresh flowers and it's always clean'."

"She would not want to go anywhere like that."

Angela Meeson, also 50, said: ""It's always been a bit muddy by my mum but it's gotten worse.

"There's graves that are underwater."

"I go up every week and I used to sit down for half an hour chatting to mum but I can't do that now. If I bring a foldable chair or plastic bag to sit on, you just sink in."

She said the council should stop "taking people's money" for plots that flood and should tell people about the long-standing issue.

"We just want it sorted," she said.

Wilson agreed and said her plot cost more than £3,600.

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