Council diggers leave tyre marks and knock over gravestones while digging new plots
A council are driving diggers over graves to dig new plots, knocking down gravestones and forcing mourners to remove tributes.
Sharna Andrews, from, Gloucester, was told the colourful fence she put up around her seven-year-old son’s grave had to be removed to allow heavy machinery to drive over.
She and her daughter Zofia, now eight, hand-painted a wooden fence in rainbow colours to place around Harry-Lee Andrews-Tomlinson’s grave.
He died after suffering an asthma attack in February 2022.
Sharna, a support worker from Tredworth, Gloucestershire, vowed to ‘fight’ to save the fencing at Gloucester Cemeteries and Crematorium.
Councillor Alastair Chambers told Gloucester City Council he had ‘photo after photo of heavy machinery crossing family members’ bodies’.
He urged the council to make sure works were carried out ‘respecting the dead’.
‘That is the real reason. Planning and organisation at this crematorium should be in such a way that respect is given to the dead,’ he said.
He added there were several health and safety issues due to knocked over head stones, bollards and two-feet deep holes.
‘Metal bollards and reinforced plastic bollards are thrown and littered around,’ he said.
‘There are holes where the bollards have come out some two to three feet deep. Someone could break their ankle.
‘Several of these posts are thrown under benches. And there are even bollards turfed on people’s graves,’ he added.
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the amended motion and carry out a review of its rules.
Sharna said: ‘In the meeting it was so overwhelming and emotional – I did have a little cry.
‘It took me a few minutes to process that they actually agreed to look at the rules and regulations.
‘It’s been very emotional, it was unfair that I was put in that position before when I still haven’t come to terms with the death of my son and I hope I’m never in that position again.
‘It’s just a waiting game for the review now but it’s the start of the beginning and hopefully it ends the right way.’
At the meeting, deputy leader Hannah Norman said that while the review is underway the deed holders who have received letters to make changes will not have any legal action taken against them.
Sharna said: ‘There’s no words to describe the way I’m feeling now.
‘I’m very thankful they took the rules into consideration – and I hope when they assess the rules and regulations they think of the impact on the families.
‘In the meantime we can do what we want with his grave.
‘We can decorate it for Christmas – Harry-Lee loved getting involved in decorating, especially at Christmas.
‘Now he can’t do that with us, we’re taking the decorations to him. Just because he’s gone doesn’t mean everything he liked should be gone with him.
‘When we used to get the tree up he’d be so excited to help put the lights on.’
Gloucester City Council has been contacted for comment.
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