People have called for the council to take action after graveyards have been left "untended and neglected".

Across Adur and Worthing, a number of cemeteries have become overgrown over recent months, with some people now unable to reach the burial sites of loved ones.

Last week, Adur and Worthing Councils said it will attend the sites and sort out the issue as soon as it can, however people have argued that the situation has already impacted grieving members of the community.

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Joss Loader, an independent district councillor for Shoreham Beach, said the graveyards are now looking neglected.

She told The Argus: "It's not just about visitor access but also respect for the dead.

"Cemeteries are places of remembrance, recollection and reflection.

"They bring comfort to the living as well as providing a final resting place for the dead. It's essential that people can access graves easily when paying their respects and laying floral tributes.

"I think we all appreciate that we've had a late summer and unusual growing conditions but it's essential that cemeteries are prioritised.  

"Adur District Council has always maintained its graveyards and it's a great shame that the grass has grown so long."

Although Joss, whose dad Brian Hollebone is buried in Mill Lane Cemetery in Shoreham, is still able to visit the graves of her loved ones, she said people with mobility issues have been struggling.

She said: "It hasn't impacted my ability because I am able-bodied and can walk through the long grass.  It's difficult though for anyone with mobility issues and who may need a stick or walking aid."

On social media, a number of people have also said they have struggled to visit loved ones' graves as a result of the issue, including a woman who can no longer get close to the graves of her grandparents as a result of the long grass blocking the way.

Someone else said they had tried cutting the grass themselves around their husband's grave in Durrington Cemetery so they can still visit.

The graveyard has been left overgrown (Image: Adur and Worthing Councils)

A spokesman for Adur and Worthing Councils said: "If you’ve visited one of our burial grounds in recent weeks you may have noticed that the grass in certain areas is getting quite long.

"While this is great for wildlife, we recognise that it can make it a bit tricky for visitors to move easily around some of our places of remembrance at times.

"We’re working as hard as we can to keep the grass at a manageable level but the perfect growing conditions we’ve had, plus the need to prioritise preparing for new burials at our cemeteries, means we’ve not been as successful as we’d like.

"We’ve not forgotten about this work though. We’re visiting each of our sites in rotation and will cut back the grass and vegetation as soon as we can."