NEWPORT man had to pay hundreds of pounds to have his aunt's grave reset after flood damage, which he claims he was assured by the council would not happen again.

Mark Thomas, 34, who lives in Gaer, near to the St Woolos Cemetery, where his aunt is buried  said: "Every year we have winter storms and every year we encounter the same problems at St Woolos cemetery."

Mr Thomas said he was assured by the council that drainage works would be carried out after he had to spend money to fix his aunt's gravestone after flooding in previous years.

Mr Thomas spent £700 to get his aunt, Anne Harvey's gravestone reset after water came up from underneath it. He said this was not caused by abnormal weather but just normal average amounts of rain.

"I was told in November last year that works had been completed," said Mr Thomas. However, in recent times - including Storm Bert - his aunt's gravestone has been flooded again.

A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: “Site wide drainage maintenance, repair and improvement works were carried out several years ago to help address the significant flooding that occurred in St Woolos Cemetery.

“This included pipe repairs and the installation of a new outlet chamber."



Mr Thomas said: "I walk my dog over twice a day and at no point had work been carried out and proof exists as the same problems have occurred again."

Mr Thomas said the flooding happens every winter and a lot of "the gravestones are underwater".

Mr Thomas said: "I was told work was undertaken to fix the issue after I paid for my aunts grave to be repaired after previous flood damage. It's clear that was not the case. I've been lied to and so have others."

In January Storm Denk caused the cemetery to flood. November's Storm Bert also caused it to flood.

Mr Thomas said he understands severe rainfall will have an affect, saying: "I can be sympathetic of some flooding as the weather was atrocious. That level of flooding was unbelievable."

A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: “Flooding still occasionally occurs when exceptionally torrential rain falls in a short period on already saturated ground.

"This is beyond the council’s control, but we recognise that it can be upsetting for relatives. However, we would like to reassure them that the flood waters do subside naturally within days and does not damage the graves.

“We are also pumping out as much of the excess water as we can in order to clear the site as quickly as possible.”