SHOW some respect, is the message from those begging Darlington Borough Council to maintain a graveyard.

A graveyard adjacent to Hurworth’s All Saints Church has become neglected and overgrown since it was officially closed for burials several years ago, say villagers.

Broken headstones, obscured graves and flourishing wildflowers and weeds are currently blighting the resting place of many of Hurworth’s former residents.

When a graveyard is closed, responsibility for its upkeep transfers to the local authority.

Pensioner David Sanderson is now calling on Darlington Borough Council to do more to maintain the site.

Mr Sanderson regularly visits the site to tend to his late mother’s grave, which is partially obscured by long grass.

He claims he regularly struggles to access the site safely and criticised DBC for failing to respect the village’s heritage.

Mr Sanderson said: “It’s absolutely disgusting, this is part of our history and needs to be sorted.

“My mother would be horrified, she gave her life to this church and was a proud Hurworth woman.

“It may be closed but many elderly people still come to visit their relatives.”

Church warden Mr Johnson said he shared the frustrations of villagers and said: “With budget cuts, the situation is not going to get any better.”

A spokeswoman for DBC apologised for any distress , saying grass was cut twice this season and due to be cut again next week.

She said any unsafe gravestones were laid flat for safety reasons.