THE parents of Ardrossan teenager Ross Munn, who tragically drowned in Mill Glen Reservoir last year, have slammed council gravediggers – calling them ‘disrespectful’ for dumping soil on top of graves.

Yvonne and Craig Munn were horrified when they visited Ross’s graveside last week on what would have been his 18th birthday to find a pile of freshly dug soil heaped up on a grave just feet from their son’s.

Ross, 17, drowned alongside his close friend Sean Marshall, 20, in August last year when a fishing trip to the reservoir went wrong.

Craig Munn said: “If the digger had turned left instead of right we wouldn’t have been able to place our cards on Ross’s grave.

“I visit the cemetery nearly every other day. Sometimes the spoil is left to lie there for four or five days.

“I don’t know whether they are trying to save time or cut costs or whatever but they should be putting the soil somewhere away from people’s graves.” Yvonne added: “I think it’s totally disrespectful to the families.” A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “We understand that this is a sensitive issue for families.

“Our staff carry out work in as respectful a manner as possible. However, there are occasions where there is no alternative but to temporarily store soil on an adjacent plot.

“Whenever this is the case, we ensure that the grass is cleared and returned to the same condition as it was prior to the work starting as quickly as possible.”