New rules banning gifts and other items from being left around graves at Market Drayton Cemetery have been welcomed by the man who helps run it.
John Scarratt, a sexton at the Cemetery Road site, said that the situation had “got out of hand” with the growing number of items being placed on the grassed areas.
The new rules were agreed at a town council meeting last week after concerns were expressed over how difficult it was becoming to maintain the cemetery.
A series of recent thefts and acts of vandalism also prompted town councillors to take action.
“The new rules would be welcome but it is difficult to say at the moment because it’s only been in the paper and we cannot do or say anything until we have got official notification,” Mr Scarratt said.
“The rules had got a bit lax after the old burial committee went and the more freedom you give to people, the more they take advantage of it.
“It is difficult when you are mowing because when you have got graves spread out, you cannot get to the poor person in the middle to mow it.
“It has just got out of hand and you even get bottles of beer put on graves.”
Under the new rules, gifts and other articles can only be put on the headstone and not on the grassed area around it.
Glass items are banned completely and the town council will be able to “remove any articles...that it considers inappropriate.”
However, lights will still be allowed on headstones, provided they are “constant white lights” and not flashing ones.
Mr Scarratt has worked at the cemetery for more than 25 years and fears that the new rules will not go down very well with some residents.
“I know some people who are against all this paraphernalia and of course the people who put it on graves think it is alright,” he said.
“It’s the sort of thing that has gone on for years.
“When you are dealing with youngsters who have died, it is difficult and we always try to give a little leeway.
“But you need some proper rules that you can go to a person with and explain to them rather than acting.
“You can’t just go willy nilly – we have got to bring it in gradually.”
Town Clerk Edward Davies said: “These changes were brought about following discussions by members of a working group over several months on the maintenance issue of grass cutting around grave stones and not as a result of complaints by the general public.
“In fact, the public have been most co-operative on this matter, attending meetings of the working group where their opinions were listened to.
“Members felt that these rules were not clear and that there had been some relaxation in the past.”
