The grave of a Huddersfield man has been trashed as workers dug a new plot nearby.

Family members went to Damian Jeffrey’s grave at Hey Lane cemetery, Castle Hill , to find a scene of devastation.

The grave had been covered in rubble and soil from the new plot, and wooden boards had been put up alongside it apparently to stop more mud and debris from falling in.

Damian Jeffrey

Flowers, sentimental figurines and teddies which had been placed at the grave were strewn around, and a water bottle kept behind a cross to water the flowers had been left squashed flat in the middle of the plot, which was covered in footprints.

Damian’s sister Terri discovered what had happened when she went to the cemetery on Tuesday and told her family, before starting to tidy up the plot.

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Damian, 23, of Deighton , died in March, having apparently taken his own life. He was buried at Hey Lane a few weeks ago.

The grave had flowers spelling out the words Damo, Bro and Son, which had been moved during the digging of the new grave.

Damian’s sister Samantha, 26, said: “My sister Terri went up to the grave and felt sick.

Damian's grave after the new plot was dug

“The council have dug a new grave two plots away.

“The plot next to Damian is empty and they had put some of the soil from the new grave there.

“But they have piled mud and rubble all over Damian’s grave. There were also planks of wood at the side of the grave and footprints all over it.

“There were some teddies and figures which had been left there and they have been thrown around.

“Terri told us what had happened and I went up with my brother to have a look and I felt really sick. I just cannot believe they could have done this.

“My sister has tidied it up a bit, and we have taken some of the stuff home while we make it a bit neater, but what they have done is terrible.”

She said the family complained to Kirklees Council , who said it will send someone to the cemetery to look at the damage.

The Hey Lane cemetery, between Castle Hill and Farnley Tyas, opened in November 2013.

Hey Lane Cemetery, Farnley Hey, Huddersfield.

A council spokesperson said: “The council understands that the preparation of nearby graves can be upsetting for families and we try to minimise the impact where possible.

“However, it is standard burial practice that soil from the preparation of a new grave is left next to the graveside. This means that the grave can be back-filled once the burial has taken place.

“Wherever possible, we try to minimise the soil spreading onto nearby graves, however when this is not possible, the council will tidy the affected grave as soon as possible after the burial.

“Our staff also carefully move items left on nearby graves out of the way to minimise damage.”