A FAMILY still grieving from the loss of their baby daughter midway through pregnancy just nine months ago were devastated to discover her grave had been "destroyed" in Porthleven Cemetery.

Cornwall Council has this week confirmed a "full investigation" had now been launched into the matter.

It is after Mark Benney discovered that the wooden cross marking the grave of baby Charlotte, who died last September, had been broken to splinters, a ceramic pot used for flowers was in pieces and two duck ornaments had been flung aside - one landing on a nearby grave and another in a hedge.

He believed this happened after workers for Cornwall Council went to cut the grass at the cemetery and ran over it with a mower.

Mr Benney said: "They have just destroyed everything on it. The pot was smashed to pieces, the wooden cross was just chippings and we couldn't even find the plaque.

"The people that did it must have known they did, and didn't report it to their supervisor.

"Just to go over and find that - it was awful."

Initially he did not tell his wife, Siobhan, about the damage, until it could be put right.

To make matters worse, however, after reporting the matter to the council on no less than three occasions - and receiving a log number the second time - he had yet to receive any response, let alone an apology, when he spoke to the Packet on Monday, three weeks after the discovery.

"Just say, 'We've had an accident, we'll put it right' - but we've heard nothing," he said. "I wanted somebody from the council to come and explain what happened and give them a chance to say sorry."

Mr Benney claimed he had also been told that the council workers were seen lying down on the graves with their tops off in the sun.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council told the Packet on Monday afternoon: "We have contacted the family and will be carrying out a full investigation into this."