Graves have been left shattered and buried under piles of debris after recent storms ripped through a Victorian cemetery.

Almost three weeks have passed since high winds and torrential rain battered the city, uprooting trees and causing damage to homes, businesses and gardens.

Despite the majority of the clean-up operation finishing weeks ago, residents have been left outraged after discovering dozens of tombs left buried under fallen trees – with many headstones smashed under the wreckage.

This week residents took to social networking sights to demand action from Cheshire West and Chester Council, who cordoned off storm damaged parts of the Overleigh Cemetery in Handbridge, with make shift barriers and a single traffic cone.

But CWaC have insisted they are doing all they can to secure the safety of the cemetery for mourners and visitors after 13 trees uprooted in the recent high winds – even removing the heavy gates due to structural damage.

A spokesperson said the authority was in the hands of contractors, who had already removed some of the trees which had fallen down in the storms, and were continuing to clear debris from the cemetery.

“We will not know the full details of what damage has been done until the work has been cleared,” she said.

“The safety of visitors to the cemetery is of the upmost importance and the Council apologises for any inconvenience this has caused.”

Motorists driving along Grosvenor Road have been puzzled by the large gap where the pedestrian gate to the cemetery once stood after CWaC removed the gate due to structural damage.

The gates will not be replaced for eight-12 weeks, while repair work is carried out on iron work inside supported pillars weakened by recent storms.