A GRIEVING MOTHER has been told that she should not lay flowers on her daughter’s grave in Hedon cemetery.
The BBC reports that Hedon Town Council has written to Karen Betts saying that she cannot put tributes on daughter Hayley’s grave and flowers should only be put in containers placed at the headstone base, and memorials should be removed from the grave.
Hayley, died of cancer over a year ago aged only 19. Her funeral was attended by her many friends from South Holderness.
The BBC quotes a statement sent by Hedon Town Council:
“This new section of the cemetery is maintained as a ‘lawn’ area and rules state that a headstone can only be erected on the plot and flower containers are to be set within the headstone base. Hedon Town Council apologises for any distress that a request to remove any additional memorials may cause, however, in this era of ‘blame and claim’ culture the Hedon Town Council must safeguard itself and subsequently its residents and council tax payers from any potential costly claim.”
Mrs Betts is quoted as saying that she cannot afford to buy the containers necessary to hold the floral tributes.
This seems to be a tragic case where health and safety legislation ‘prevents’ good things from happening, rather than ‘safeguards’ against the risk of bad things happening.
It is a case that surely can be solved through support and help being offered to Mrs Betts rather than just the formal, official council line!?
Do we have any updates on this Story? Was Mrs Betts able to get a stone for Haily?
BBC LOOK NORTH report that a “local company” has stepped in to pay for a Headstone for the grave which will resolve this.