A HORRIFIED Bolton man thought the body of his brother had been dug up when he saw a mound of fresh earth on his grave.

Philip Granville, 33, from Farnworth, went to put flowers on his half-brother's grave on Sunday.

But he was shocked to see a huge pile of earth covering it and thought the grave had been robbed.

Bolton Council grave diggers at Heaton Cemetery had actually dug a fresh hole next to Mr Granville's brother's remains and put the earth over his grave.

Mr Granville said: "I was just stunned.

"My first reaction was that they had dug him up.

"It was like a sick joke or something."

Mr Granville's half-brother William Bethell died aged 54 in January 1997 after suffering cancer.

The family had his body brought from London to be buried in Bolton at Heaton Cemetery.

But dad-of-three Mr Granville said he now feels his brother's memory had been violated.

He said: "It just shows absolutely no respect.

"They just chucked the earth on him when they didn't even need to.

"There is plenty of space around.

"They have crushed all the flowers and ornaments on his grave.

"They have absolutely no thought for what, or who, is around the grave they are digging.

"It's a disgrace."

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "Whenever a new grave has to be dug next to other graves we are sensitive to the surrounding so we fully cover them to protect them from the soil.

"This has been done in this case and the grave will be reinstated to its previous condition once the funeral has taken place."

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