An elderly widow claims she has been prevented from visiting her husband's grave for the third year running due to the muddy state of Rawdon Crematorium.

This is Lillie Watts third Christmas of agony at not being able to visit her husband Bill's grave due to the thick mud and leaves covering the ground at the crematorium's entrance.

The 81-year-old is now calling for Leeds City Council to take action to clean up the crematorium so mourners are able to walk to the graves without getting muddy.

Entering the Garden of Remembrance last Sunday to lay a holly wreath and a snow tree she was confronted with a path covered in mud.

"It was disgusting," said Mrs Watts, of Enfield, Yeadon.

"The path was covered with mud and leaves and it was up to my daughter's ankles. For the last three years the problem has been the same with the mud and still nothing has been done.

"You cannot get to the graves unless you walk over it and there are no rails to hold onto in case you fall.

"I was most disturbed by it and everyone was complaining. It is not fair when people come to pay their respects, for them not to be able to reach the resting places. All they need to do is cover the path with gravel. It really is impossible.

"I like to visit him at special times in the year and it is lovely there in summer but every Christmas it is a mud bath and it makes it hard for me to visit him."

Mrs Watts said that she was so angry and upset that she felt she had to highlight her problems in the Wharfedale Observer in a bid to get something done.

She added: "Lots of people feel the same way and I just hope they will come forward and make their views known.

"Maybe if they do then next year the problem will be solved and I will be able to visit my husband with out having to battle with the mud."

Leeds City Council's Leisure Services Department claims that the paths are cleaned regularly.

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: "The main en-trance to Rawdon Crematorium and all the paths inside are swept on a regular basis by specialist path cleaning machines, to ensure access is available for all visitors.

"With the bad weather of the last few weeks the paths do get muddy and covered with grass and autumnal leaves.

"We constantly review our procedures to ensure that our high standards are kept, and any that require extra cleaning are being attended to."