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WALES: Take your flowers off our graves
(Daily Post (Liverpool) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) BEREAVED residents protested outside a North Wales cemetery yesterday after they were ordered to remove graveside memorials.
Residents with loved ones at Rhos cemetery in Stryt Las, near Wrexham, were told by community council chiefs to move flowers, vases and tributes.
If not they will be confiscated -with grieving relatives being forced to pay for their return.
Yesterday about 60 banner waving family members were at the cemetery to protest at what they claimed was a "power crazy" approach.
But community council officials said they asked for years for people with loved ones there to comply with regulations.
The graveyard, designated a lawn cemetery, is overseen by Rhosllanner-chrugog Community Council.
Memorials and pots are only allowed on the grave's headstone top and base.
But bereaved relatives added pots, flowers and tributes beyond where they were technically allowed, sparking friction with the community council.
Despite a petition from locals the council refused to change its mind.
All affected families received letters saying an outside contractor would remove the offending items this week.
These will be stored in a safe place. But people will still have to pay in order to get the memorials back.
Bethan Janicki's dad Henryke was buried at the cemetery 29 years ago, while her mum Emma was interred there last year.
The 39-year-old businesswoman said: "The community council is power crazy.
"This has really upset a lot of people and they are not taking into consideration their feelings.
"We have been told if they are not removed then an outside contractor will come.
"It is just so insensitive. The council has just not listened to what the people want."
Rhos Community council clerk, Wendy Owens, said: "This has been a very long-standing issue.
"The rules have been in place for 35 years and the community council is asking the public to abide by the existing rules.
"The public are aware and have had letters over the last six years.
"We have informed them contractors will be in this week to remove them."
stevebagnall@dailypost.co.uk
Copyright 2006 Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Ltd
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