A grieving family visiting their son's grave found it had collapsed into a freshly dug grave behind it.

Adrian Duce, pictured at his son's grave, said he first thought his 17-year-old son Mark's grave in Charlestown Cemetery in Otley Road, Baildon, had been vandalised before he realised what caused the damage.

"I was virtually speechless. It really did look like it had been vandalised," said Mr Duce, of Baildon.

"It has been a really upsetting time for us and then for this to happen is unbelievable."

Mr Duce and his wife Susan, buried their son on September 17 last year. Almost every day since they have visited the grave to tend the flowers and pay their respects.

Bradford Council has apologised to the family saying that heavy rain had caused the ground to give way.

A Council spokesman said: "We opened a grave behind that of Mr Duce's son for a funeral that was taking place and we removed plants from his grave to avoid damaging them.

"It is always our policy to shore up the soil to minimise movement, but regrettably wet and unstable ground conditions can lead to soil movement, as was the case in this instance, when there was some movement at the grave's head.

"Reasons for disturbing the grave were explained to Mr and Mrs Duce and assurances given that their son's grave would be fully reinstated."