'Disrespectful' diggers dumped 5ft of soil on a dad's grave leaving his widow in tears.
Roy Thompson, who died after a long battle with cancer was buried at Southern Cemetery in Chorlton last month.
A headstone had still to be installed for the 88-year-old, but his family still left flowers and other mementoes of his life on the plot.
But they arrived on Thursday morning and found the blooms and other items had been removed and soil from a nearby plot piled high onto Roy's grave.
Manchester Evening News reports that his widow Beverley, who was there to celebrate her birthday with her late husband, was left in tears.
The council has admitted grave diggers sometimes pile soil onto existing plots but insist staff do their 'utmost to respect nearby graves'.
Relatives and family from London, Leicester and Coventry had travelled north to pay their respects to the father of father-of-five, a retired plumber.
His son Anthony, 55, from London said: "It's pretty insensitive and quite disrespectful.
"They are just assuming nobody will turn up. There is memorabilia and flowers which have just been moved to another grave.
"My father is buried beneath the mound of dirt but the flowers and name sign is placed in front of another plot, giving the impression my father is buried there.
"For anyone visiting my father who didn't attend the burial would believe this is where he is laid to rest. It's very disappointing and upsetting. The soil could have been put elsewhere."
The family say they complained at the Southern Cemetery office but report they were told what had happened was 'legal and commonplace'.
"It's not a matter of it being legal. I find it disrespectful and insensitive," said Anthony, who urged the council to review its policy.
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: "The Council's Bereavement Services Team does its utmost to respect nearby graves when carrying out excavations.
"In some cases excavated earth is placed on adjacent graves during this process, but at all times staff carry out their duty with care and do their best not to disturb the original grave site."
