BADGERS are causing considerable damage to a graveyard in Laugharne where Dylan Thomas is buried.
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart said the animals had left the ground around St Martin's Church looking like it had been ploughed.
Now church leaders are taking action to try to keep out the creatures over fears they could undermine headstones.
Conservative MP Mr Hart said: "This is a very beautiful graveyard and obviously a place of great meaning, not only to Dylan Thomas fans who visit it from all over the world, but to families with loved ones buried there.
"The badgers have caused a lot of damage, digging up the top few inches of soil so that it looks like a ploughed field in places."
Worried family members contacted the MP when they noticed damage was being caused to their family plots.
"I was contacted by a lady who has seen considerable damage done to her parents' grave," added Mr Hart.
"Understandably she is very upset about it and she is also worried it will undermine the headstone.
"This is not that uncommon a problem in graveyards across the country but because badgers are so heavily protected it does cause a headache for church authorities."
He said Welsh Govern- ment animal experts from Aberystwyth have visited the site and confirmed that the damage had been caused by badgers.
One of the options open to the church is to apply for a licence to move the badgers.
"But this is expensive, a vet would have to be present and it's quite a logistical undertaking which may not even work," explained Mr Hart.
A spokesman at the church said it was looking at alternate ways of stopping the problem.
He added: "We are taking steps to prevent them from entering the graveyard."
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart said the animals had left the ground around St Martin's Church looking like it had been ploughed.
Now church leaders are taking action to try to keep out the creatures over fears they could undermine headstones.
Conservative MP Mr Hart said: "This is a very beautiful graveyard and obviously a place of great meaning, not only to Dylan Thomas fans who visit it from all over the world, but to families with loved ones buried there.
"The badgers have caused a lot of damage, digging up the top few inches of soil so that it looks like a ploughed field in places."
Worried family members contacted the MP when they noticed damage was being caused to their family plots.
"I was contacted by a lady who has seen considerable damage done to her parents' grave," added Mr Hart.
"Understandably she is very upset about it and she is also worried it will undermine the headstone.
"This is not that uncommon a problem in graveyards across the country but because badgers are so heavily protected it does cause a headache for church authorities."
He said Welsh Govern- ment animal experts from Aberystwyth have visited the site and confirmed that the damage had been caused by badgers.
One of the options open to the church is to apply for a licence to move the badgers.
"But this is expensive, a vet would have to be present and it's quite a logistical undertaking which may not even work," explained Mr Hart.
A spokesman at the church said it was looking at alternate ways of stopping the problem.
He added: "We are taking steps to prevent them from entering the graveyard."
