A Penryn resident is the latest person to raise concerns over the 'extremely distressing' state of St Gluvias Cemetery after visiting the grave of a friend recently.

Jennifer Canning wrote to the Packet to raise the issue following a visit to the cemetery adjoining the churchyard, on Church Hill, on 10 June.

She wrote: "When I arrived I found it extremely difficult to find my friend's grave due to the overgrown nature of the graveyard.

"This is extremely distressing for everybody who bury their loved ones there."

She called on Penryn Town Council to rectify the matter and to make sure it does not happen again.

Penryn Town Council is not in fact responsible for St Gluvias Churchyard, which is owned by the Diocese of Truro and subject to a maintenance agreement with Cornwall Council.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said that St Gluvias Church one of over 100 closed churchyards -those no longer used for burials - which have been transferred to the council from the Church of England without any funding.

She said: "As a result of limited budgets the council has to focus its priority on health and safety within closed churchyards.

"The council’s current policy is to manage closed churchyards in line with the living churchyards approach. This allows a greater diversity of flora and fauna, but will mean that grasses and other vegetation will become long."

Penryn town clerk Michelle Davey did point out that there is a Facebook group, Friends of St Gluvias Cemetery, set up to form an action plan to maintain the cemetery.

Shelley Peters, a town councillor and member of the Facebook group, said: "I have agreed to contact the vicar and arrange a meeting of people interested in cleaning up."