GRIMEBUSTING churchgoers are proving that where there's a will there's a way.

Members of the congregation at St Mary's RC Church in Clayton-le-Moors have set themselves the tough task of sorting out the overgrown wilderness that was once the church burial ground.

And, although most of the volunteers are in their 60s, their determination is paying off.

The appropriately named St Mary's RIP Group - that's restoration, improvement and preservation - hope that, eventually, the churchyard will be both a fitting tribute to the people buried there and a pleasing nature reserve for the people of Clayton-le-Moors.

Group co-ordinator Ian Lever explained: "The churchyard was once adjacent to the old St Mary's church but that was knocked down in 1957. "Since then it's got more and more neglected and overgrown.

"Three years ago, we got a new priest, Father Joe Feeley and he encouraged us to start tackling the area.

"It takes a lot of work just to keep on top of things but we are getting there.

"One of the first big things we did was put paths through the site.

"The area was so overgrown we couldn't even see the paths when we first started here.

"We have re-laid the paths with gravel, kindly donated by Park Royal Quarry."

Future plans include the creation of a circular seating area at the entrance to the churchyard with a scented garden and butterfly garden.

This winter, the team will be planting more trees and bulbs throughout the site as well as tidying up the graves.

Ian added: "A lot of the graves were totally covered over and we didn't even know they were there until we cut back the grass.

"We have found a lot of the old graves and statues have been badly vandalised."

The finishing touch will be an engraved interpretation board showing the layout of the churchyard and explaining the history of St Mary's.

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