A widow has described her horror after discovering badgers had been digging into her husband's grave.
Iris Neale's husband Kenneth was buried in Rothley cemetery last year after he died aged 89.
However, Mrs Neale has been left devastated after finding out a clan of badgers from a nearby sett have been damaging the former Burma Star soldier's grave.
"The family decided on a plot in a beautiful corner of the cemetery with a wonderful view out over the fields," said Mrs Neale, 86.
"We thought it would be the perfect place, but it's turned into a nightmare."
Mrs Neale, of Rothley, said problems started soon after the funeral service for her husband, who was known as Dick.
"There were flowers and numerous wreaths left at the graveside but when we returned they were all gone," she said.
The family at first blamed rabbits, until a neighbouring farmer discovered a badger den.
In the past few weeks, the problem has escalated.
"It turns out there is a badger sett in the field the other side of the fence," said Mrs Neale.
"What they've been doing is digging into my husband's grave. You can see the tunnels where they've been burrowing down."
Mrs Neale raised the matter with the parish council, which manages the cemetery, off Mountsorrel Lane.
She said: "They advised us to put a little fence around the plot which my son did.
"He also planted a grass border and left a wreath at his dad's grave because it was his birthday.
"But when he returned with my daughter-in-law a few days later, they discovered the fence knocked down, the wreath eaten and new tunnels.
"He was absolutely heartbroken."
Mrs Neale said: "We don't know what to do and are at our wits' end. My fear is the badgers digging right down to my husband's coffin.
"We would move him if we could but are told that's not possible."
Parish clerk Robin Dent said: "We sympathise with Mrs Neale and her family.
"We've taken advice from badger experts but there's not a lot we can do.
"It seems to be just this one grave but even if you mend every gap in the fence they can still get in."
He said people living in Mountsorrel Lane had complained about their gardens being dug up in the night and prize tulips devoured.
Badger experts suspect the problem is down to recent unseasonal weather.
Dr Pam Mynott, of the Leicestershire Badger Group, said Rothley was not the only village being pestered by badgers.
"I've been called out to quite a few villages in the past weeks," she said. "I really do feel for this family but the problem is down to freak weather.
"The cold spring has meant the earth worms which badgers like to eat are much deeper in the ground and many pups have starved because mothers can't produce milk.
"Unfortunately, the grubs are most commonly found in disturbed earth such as graves in secluded grassy areas like cemeteries. This won't go on for long. Things will soon settle down."
