Shropshire Star

Market Drayton cemetery visitors warned to remove items from grassed areas

Those who visit loved ones at Market Drayton's cemetery will be asked to remove items from grassed areas, over concerns that they are making access difficult for some people.

Published
Market Drayton's town hall, headquarters of Market Drayton Town Council

Market Drayton Town Council is warning residents to remove items that are not placed on plinths in the cemetery off Cemetery Road by December 2, after which staff will enforce an old rule under its cemetery regulations and remove them.

The council's clerk Julie Jones said the decision came about because of concerns from the public, and because the "sheer amount" of items left made maintaining the area difficult.

She said: "The town council have received a complaint about the growing number of items being left on the grass and causing people with poor mobility trouble when they are visiting graves.

"This has been a growing concern for the council over a number of years and although we are sympathetic to grieving relatives the sheer amount of items now on the lawned area of the cemetery is making maintaining the cemetery increasingly difficult so it was decided that section 18 of the cemetery rules and regulations will be enforced."

The relevant rule says: "No articles will be allowed on the grassed area away from the plinth.

"A degree of flexibility will be exercised between the period of burial and the installation of a headstone/plinth up to a maximum of six weeks when most flowers and wreaths will then be past their best.

"All articles will be restricted to the plinth. No glass articles will be permitted and the town council reserve the right to remove any articles it considers inappropriate.

"Constant white lights will be allowed on the plinth."

Notices will be displayed in the cemetery until December 2, after which "inappropriate" items.