A CORNER of an Abingdon cemetery is set to be cleared of plants and flowers to improve safety for mourners.

The town council is enforcing cemetery regulations to make sure people can walk easily between graves.

But Raymond Stimpson, of Pudsey Close, was left upset after town council gardeners jumped the gun.

The 62-year-old has been putting plants and shrubs on his parents’ graves in Spring Gardens Cemetery for more than 20 years. But last week he found the plants, except a single rose, had been uprooted, before the council had let people know about the change.

The council said the grave was in the lawn section of the cemetery, where shrubs and flowers are not meant to be planted. It says only a memorial headstone and one flower container are allowed on the 400 graves in this section.

Steve Rich, the council’s technical manager, said the aim was to ensure grave areas were safer for the public – but admitted staff had made the changes too early.

He said: “People are bringing in things like glass vases, solar lamps, and pointed hooks to hang flowers. It would be dangerous if someone was to trip and fall over these items.

“It was decided that the regulations would be enforced after a period of notification to those who use the cemetery.

“Unfortunately, the action taken by the staff, while being correct, was before the period of notification. For this, the council apologises to the family for the distress that may have been caused.”

Mr Stimpson, whose father Dennis died in 1988 and mother Nellie died in 1993, said: “I was upset and angry.”

He said he had never been told not to plant flowers or shrubs. He added: “I can’t afford to put a headstone on the grave so I do what I can to make it look nice.”

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