TWO council gravediggers accused of assaulting their female boss and dumping her in an open grave remain suspended from their jobs nine months after the alleged incident.

Chris Gregory, 51, and Malcolm Purvis, 48, were arrested by police in October after their line manager, Debbie Mowatt, claimed they had attacked her and pushed her into a 6ft deep burial pit at Tweedmouth Cemetery in Berwick.

But no action is to be taken against the men by police and their families are calling for an end to the affair.

It was claimed at the time that Ms Mowatt, a team leader with Northumberland County Council, had to call for help on her mobile phone to get out of the hole.

She was left so shaken by what happened that she had to be taken to hospital to be treated for shock.

Mr Gregory and Mr Purvis were arrested on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm following the allegation, and then released on bail pending further inquiries. At the same time they were suspended from their posts by the council.

In March this year they were told by Northumbria Police that no action would be taken against them on the assault allegation, because of a lack of evidence.

But they remain suspended on full pay while the council continues to conduct an internal investigation into matters surrounding the original allegation.