MP DAVID Blunkett joined local history group representatives and Sheffield residents at Wardsend Cemetery to show his support for plans to overhaul the neglected area.
The cemetery, off Penistone Road at Owlerton, Hillsborough, has fallen into a state of neglect and the council has been trying to find funding to sort out the overgrown grounds.
"I used to walk in this cemetery when I was a boy," the Sheffield Brightside MP told The Star. "I'd get very engaged in all the ghost stories my father would tell me.
"Of course the place was in much better condition then and the paths were more usable.
"We need to get the community involved in restoring this place. My job is to get the money!"
Local historian Ron Clayton arranged the walk-through of the cemetery to raise awareness of the worsening situation, and said Mr Blunkett was more than happy to come along and show his support.
"Mr Blunkett is a good man, he's very active in his constituency, and is a real servant of his people," Ron said.
"He always remembers his Sheffield roots."
Ron told The Star he feels history in Sheffield is under threat and all city residents need to pull together to ensure its survival.
"There's 100 years of history hidden in that cemetery," said Ron.
"I want to be able to hang on to what we have so we can pass it onto the next generation."
Mr Blunkett is currently in talks with Sheffield Council over what can be done to help restore Wardsend Cemetery.
"There's a lot we can do here, we just need to pull together," he said.
n Log on to The Star's website www.thestar.co.uk/video to watch interviews with Mr Blunkett and Ron Clayton at Wardsend Cemetery.
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