Cemetery becomes no go area

Grieving relatives are too frightened to visit an Oldbury cemetery because of yobs who damage the graves and intimidate people paying their respects.

Headstones have been kicked over and pots stolen over the past few months at Rood End Cemetery.

Grieving relatives have also complained about the overgrown grass and weeds, poor facilities and the eyesore dilapidated chapel which stands in the grounds.

The 150-year-old chapel is crumbling and has stood empty for several years.

Visitors also say people use the grounds as a short-cut to get to the nearby park.

Cemetery bosses are now under pressure to improve security and tidy up the area.

Sarah Scarlett, of Vicarage Street, has grandparents, parents, a brother and a nephew all buried at the cemetery. She said: "We are going there to our loved ones and getting very upset. We need something doing about this."

A petition containing dozens of names was handed into Oldbury town committee just over a year ago, calling for a clean-up of the area.

But now, 14 months on, campaigners say nothing has been done. They are now renewing their calls for more fencing and improved security at the site to stop vandals getting in at night.