A mother was left "heartbroken" after going to visit the grave of her daughter, who died at the age of only two days, and finding the plot in a "disgusting" state.

Sharon Dack had gone to Earlham cemetery, off Bowthorpe Road, to commemorate the death of daughter Christina.

But she was appalled by the condition in which she found the grave, with the area overgrown and strewn with rubbish.

She had gone to to cemetery, which is run by Norwich City Council, with another daughter, Danielle Andrews.

%image(14478022, type="article-full", alt="Danielle Andrews said the state of Earlham Cemetery was: "absolutely disgusting."")

Danielle, who lives in Drayton, said: "We pulled up on Thursday and before we even got out the car I looked to mum and saw the look on her face.

"She was in pieces - she looked lost - heartbroken.

"When we got out of the car I could hear mum sniffling, holding back tears, as we walked towards the grave.

"It was absolutely disgusting - I've never seen anything like it.

%image(14478024, type="article-full", alt="Danielle's mum, Sharon, at her daughter Christina's grave site.")

"There was rubbish dumped under the trees near the grave, it's all overgrown, and the bench we used to sit on had been broken into pieces.

"It had been completely forgotten about.

"We cleaned up as much as we could because it means the world to her - that's her child and my sister."

Christina was born prematurely in 1991. She survived just two days.

%image(14478025, type="article-full", alt="The bench at Earlham Cemetery had been "Broken into pieces".")

The family say they often visit her grave, but were so appalled by its state when they went there last week that they got in touch with the Evening News.

Danielle said the poor conditions around Christina's plot were in stark contrast to better maintained areas of the cemetery.

She added: "We must have walked only 100 yards down the way and everything is lovely - all the grass is freshly cut and nice to look at.

"Mum said 'why does that area get treated better than the plot here' - I think it upset her even more.

%image(14478027, type="article-full", alt="Danielle Andrews at the grave site, with her 10-week-old son.")

"It's completely unacceptable to allow child graves to be left in this state which are still visited.

"We can't be the only family feeling like this when we arrive - other graves in on site have flowers and things put around them - so they are still being visited."

Norwich City Council have been contacted for a response.

%image(14477578, type="article-full", alt="Part of Earlham Cemetery have been left overgrown and with rubbish scattered around.")