CALLS have been made for urgent action to improve the ‘neglected’ state of a war grave at a former church.

The grave belongs to Able Seaman Fred Eastwood and lies at St James Church, Church.

But pictures show the grass around the grave is in an overgrown state with nettles growing around it.

Hyndburn’s MP Graham Jones has hit out at the ‘disgraceful’ state of the grave and called for all graves to be tended.

He said: “It’s a disgrace that those who served, fought and died don’t have their graves tended.

“There should be no price on such a sacrifice.”

Mr Jones has written to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) and Hyndburn Council about the ‘neglected grave’.

The commission honours the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the first and second world wards to ensure they will never be forgotten.

Their work commemorates the war dead, from building and maintaining cemeteries and memorials at 23,000 locations.

But the commission said in a letter to Mr Jones that they ‘do not have the resources’ to care for graves in the same way they would expect in a larger military cemetery spot.

They letter reads: “Our regional network of maintenance staff do their best to check the headstones on a periodic basis, ensuring they are legible and stable, but we do not have the resources to care for them in the same way we would expect in a larger military cemetery plot.

“The assumption was always that for those buried at home, as Fred was (his mother lived locally), the family would care for the graves.

“For care today, we do rely heavily on local church authorities, with varying results, particularly when churches are closed is the case of St James’.

“The regional manager of the commission will have a look at the grave and see what can be done to improve it,” added the letter.