A WOMAN who was ‘soul-destroyed’ at the state of a Blackburn graveyard has said that she’s ‘delighted’ after a clean-up operation.

Jean Holt, 67, from Burnley, was unable to tend to her family’s graves after the New Row Cemetery in Heys Lane became overgrown.

When the cemetery was in its worst condition last year, the Methodist chapel which lies in the grounds had not been used for three years and had recently been put up for sale.

Now, the cemetery has been ‘completely transformed’ after probation workers were asked to set about tidying it up.

Jean’s parents and grandparents are all buried in the graveyard and she said it was ‘wonderful to finally be able to get close to the graves’.

Her mum, Jenny Golding, was christened, confirmed and married at the Methodist church and lived nearby.

The mum-of-two and grandmother-of-two said: “The cemetery and the church mean a lot to the family and it’s wonderful that it has been cleaned up.

“They must have worked so hard because there was a lot to do.

“It’s not fully finished yet but they have done a fantastic job so far.

“I would like to thank them for all that they have done for the community because they have made a real difference.

“I visited on Mother’s Day and I just couldn’t believe my eyes because it was such a transformation from when I last saw it.

“The state that it was in had made me not want to visit but now I’m so glad I went. I wasn’t able to lay flowers at their graves when I last went in September and it meant a lot to be able to get close to them.

“The graves were hidden by the grass because it was so long and it was just nice to actually see them again.

“You couldn’t even walk on the path because even that was overgrown.”