A DEDICATED pensioner who has kept the cemetery at Stogursey church in order for the last six years has received a massive cash boost to help her efforts.

Rose Nurton, from Stogursey, has worked tirelessly over the last six years to raise the funds for the upkeep of the graveyard where both her husband and infant son are buried.

On hearing of Rose’s efforts, teacher Tim Handel offered to run Dartmoor Road Race to help the pensioner out – raising a whopping £1,800. Tim explained that hearing how Rose and her husband, Rueben, tragically lost their son when he just 20 months old was the catalyst for him wanting to get involved.

Speaking to the Mercury, Tim, who teaches at Chilton Trinity, said: “I heard about Rose in the village and just thought it was amazing that she has been doing all this fundraising on her own.

“She told me about her son and it’s something I could relate to all too well having lost my son, Archie, when he was born 16 weeks prematurely.”

Rose and Rueben have been looking after the graveyard since 1963 following the death of their son, Paul, with Rueben mowing the grass for the whole of the cemetery in order to make sure their son’s grave was kept tidy.

However, after Rueben died in 2009, Rose took on the responsibility of taking care of the graves. She said: “My husband did it for 40 years not asking for anything.

“I promised him I’d continue to look after it until the day I die and that’s what I’ll do.”

The money raised by Tim will mean Rose now has the funds to pay for the cemetery’s upkeep for the next two years.

Rose said: “It’s so nice that someone who had never even met me was willing to help raise this amount of money.

“I had tears in my eyes when I was told how much was raised.”

Tim, who has raised more than £13,500 for the Cots for Tots appeal since 2012, is now preparing his next fund-raising challenge and has offered to raise further funds for Rose in the future if needed.

If you would like to sponsor Tim in his fundraising visit https://www.justgiv ing.com/ArchieHandel