Good Sorts: Pukerau woman bands community together to restore cemetery

For most of her life Margaret Pullar's lived next door to her husband's late family, and every time she peered over the fence she never really liked what she saw.

She's not the only one. Whoever you bump into around Pukerau, population 400, seems to agree.

So Margaret decided to form a committee.

But first, Margaret's daughter Karen had to go hunting - before you touch a grave you need permission of the descendants.

There were 46 burials in 23 unmarked graves.

She found nearly everyone, most of them were delighted their ancestors' graves had been found.

Wet and Forget was sprayed on the headstones of those forgotten, and more and more hands got on deck for the clean-up job, including the council, who provided money and man power.

In honouring their past, they learnt something that will help in the future.