Relatives 'gobsmacked' after grave mementos smashed

Relatives of people buried in a Nottinghamshire cemetery say they are 'gobsmacked' after wildlife were blamed for smashing mementos left on graves.

Families started a petition in protest after Broxtowe Borough Council said it was going to remove the mementos, which then led the authority to put any changes on hold for 12 months.

Visitors say they then found flowers, plant pots and crosses had been overturned last week and were told by the council ants, birds, badgers, foxes and muntjac deer were responsible.

But families have blamed council grass cutting, going so far as to stake out the cemetery to see whether animals were causing the problems.

Lindsey Collins, 46, from Beeston, whose son, Josh, was buried in the cemetery in 2021, said the problems were noticed on Tuesday 10 June.

She said: "The gardeners had been in and after mowing, several graves with pots, ornaments and memorials were damaged.

"In all the years we have been in the cemetery this has never happened before.

"The odd breakage is to be expected, but this damage was over several sections and areas of the cemetery.

"I was disgusted, heartbroken. And with Father's Day coming up I was worried how it was going to affect people."

Ms Collins estimated around 20 plots were affected with other visitors visibly distressed.

But this turned into surprise when Broxtowe Borough Council denied its gardeners were responsible.

"They said it was ants," said Ms Collins. "They said the ants were nesting in the tubs and then birds were coming to peck at them and then knocking the vases which then get caught in the long grass and get mowed.

"Then apparently badgers, foxes and muntjac deer also knocked over the ornaments.

"We were gobsmacked.

"So the cemetery committee staked out the area overnight and we never saw any activity from the animals which might explain what happened."

A spokesman for Broxtowe Borough Council said: "We have an experienced team that understands the sensitivities of working within our graveyards.

"All items are placed at the owner's risk."

The wider issue of leaving tributes on graves was discussed by the council earlier this month but a decision was deferred.

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