GETTING locked in a cemetery is the stuff of nightmares for most, but it became reality for one disabled pensioner.

Roy Smith, 67, of Corringham Road, Stanford-le-Hope, told of his “panic” at being trapped in Grays New Cemetery after a council worker locked the gates half an hour early.

Mr Smith drove down to the graves of his parents and brother at 3pm, as he does every month.

But when he went to leave at 3.30pm, he found the gates for both pedestrians and cars were padlocked and chained.

Mr Smith said: “I checked the notice board, it says closing time is 4pm.

“I had my mobile phone, but it was low on battery. I didn’t have a number for Thurrock Council, and there was no contact number on the notice board.

“It was getting towards dusk, and panic was setting in, I didn’t know how I was going to get out.”

Mr Smith spotted part of the 4ft wall at the front of the cemetery had been partially knocked down.

He has back and knee problems, and cannot walk without a stick, but managed to haul himself over the wall.

He said: “It was with great difficulty and it was painful as well.”

Once out, Mr Smith knocked on the door of a house opposite and asked the occupant if he had a number for the council. He said: “The man who answered said ‘oh not again, this often happens. They just go to the gates and lock them.

“They don’t bother to drive round and check’.

“The man even had the number for the council on his phone, so it shows how often he has to ring.”

The man was put on hold by the council and in the end had to give Mr Smith the number.

Mr Smith was then forced to climb back over the cemetery wall to get into his car and escape the cold.

He rang the council and a supervisor eventually turned up to unlock the gates at 4.12pm.

Thurrock Council apologised. It said the closing time had changed to 3.30pm but signs to tell people were not up yet.

It agreed to close the cemetery at 4pm until the signs were ready, and to instruct staff to check more carefully before locking up.