Albrighton cemetery sit-in by mourners angry over tributes ban
A group of mourners were today staging a sit-in at a cemetery in Shropshire to protest against rules banning ornaments and tributes on gravestones.
About 20 people were expected to join the protest at Saint Mary Magdalene Church in Albrighton, as they call for the church to abandon its call for the removal of the ornaments.
Sharon Maiden, 43, of Dawley Bank, Telford, who was taking part in today's protest, said she was planning to stay there for "as long as it takes" to force a re-think. Several members of Mrs Maiden's family are buried at the church and she said the protest would show how strongly people feel about the issue.
She said: "We will stay there for as long as it takes. As long as it takes, because at the end of the day I do not think their ruling is right. There should be some kind of happy medium. There is always light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully with the support we have had, and with the petitions, then we hope we will get some results."
The row started when signs appeared in the graveyard earlier this month warning that the ornaments would be taken away if they were not removed by today.
Mrs Maiden said that people had purchased the plots and should be allowed to honour their loved ones with tributes if they want to.
She said: "They are stating that it is because of the person who has to go round cutting the grass, because of health and safety but our argument is they are our plots, we have paid for them and so we should be able to pay our respects when we want to, not when we are told to."
