THE condition of part of Tranent Cemetery sparked anger from residents after several wooden boards and a large metal frame were left lying on top of the graves of loved ones.

People had to climb over the items when visiting the graves of family members last month.

A number of comments on social media saw people share their anger and confusion at the mess, with others calling it “disgusting” and “disrespectful”.

Some people also said that the condition of the grass was so bad that they could not walk on it and could not get close to the headstones.

Pictures of the mess, which were shared on social media.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “The recent heavy rains, high winds and snow have led to challenging ground conditions across many of our green spaces, including cemeteries.

“The boards had been used to protect the ground while a mini digger was brought in for grave-digging ahead of a funeral.

“These were unable to be removed at the time due to the weather conditions and were left in situ for a short period.

“Workers returned to remove them as soon as conditions allowed.”

The spokesperson added that the metal frame was part of a soil box, which holds soil in place after it has been dug from the ground before a burial.

The items were removed from the cemetery on Friday, February 21.

They had been moved away from the graves prior to collection.