RESIDENTS who complained about the state of Rose Hill Cemetery say they are appalled by the reaction from the church and the council.
We reported last week that Julia Davies was devastated by the state of the graveyard near Holy Trinity church which Rev Margaret Brighton said was being turned into a wild meadow through the God’s Acre programme.
But Betty Cannon another angry resident claimed they had been told the same story for five years and questioned the definition of ‘wildflowers.’, saying all she had seen was 4ft weeds.
Mrs Cannon said: “My family has complained several times regarding the unkept graveyard.
“We were told it was being planted with wildflowers five years ago and left for butterflies and if we keep complaining they would close it and we wouldn’t be able to go in.”
Julia’s brother Steve Ward said he was disgusted by the response.
“It is even worse now they have cut the grass in the top part because it looks such a mess and I am disgusted that this part of the cemetery is treated differently to the part around the church.
“We have a family plot and since our parents died go frequently, we are a local family who pay our council tax and deserve the right to tend the grave not have to fight our way through 4ft high weeds and grass.”
He said, as they had just lost their mother, the situation was still raw, adding his sister was hurt and upset by the church’s ‘unsympathetic manner’.
“Are the people that side of the cemetery less important than those on the vicar’s side of the church.”
The Standard contacted the church for a comment but no one was available at the time of going to press.
