A woman has been left distraught after discovering that workmen have built part of a new access road over her father’s grave at a Ramsey St Mary’s church.

Lola Carter, 85, of Signal Road, Bury, said that although there was no ­headstone, Stanley Edwards’ grave was clearly marked with a vase, in accordance with his wishes.

The plot is at the edge of the church yard, close to an existing road, she said. But the new road and retaining earth mound, built to allow visiting vehicles to park, partially covers the grave, as well as a number of other plots.

Mrs Carter said she discovered the ­situation two weeks ago through her daughter Lorna.

She said: “Dad was special – he was the perfect dad. It looks like his grave is not even in the church yard now.”

Mrs Carter said St Mary’s was ­especially important to her because not only was her father buried there, but it was where she married Girling, her late husband.

Mrs Carter and her family have been visiting the grave since her father died of lung cancer in 1956, aged 54. She said: “I feel as if the church has let me down.”

In a statement to The Hunts Post, Canon Richard Darmody said: “As a church we are very concerned for the family and want to do anything we can to alleviate their distress.

“I have visited a member of the family and said that I wanted to work with them.

“It was agreed with her that I would go away, find out the facts and then get back to her.

“In cases such as this we always want to do all we can to bring about peace of mind. Part of that involves my ­investigating exactly what has happened.”