Graveyard so overgrown mourners taking their own shears

Relatives visiting graves of their loved ones at St John's Church, in Heath Hayes, say the grass has not been cut for months.

One woman, Rosemary Whitehouse, aged 56, from Boston Close, was visiting the graves of various members of her family yesterday. She took a pair of shears along to trim back the grass around the headstones.

She said: "My two brothers, my sister and my parents are buried at the cemetery and it breaks my heart seeing the place in such a state.

"The whole place is overgrown and you can't see any of the pretty flowers or headstones.

"We paid over £2,000 for my mum's headstone because she was such a lovely woman and deserved the best but it seems like such a waste because you can't see it.

"The council say they can't send people in to fix the place because of health and safety concerns but what about the health and safety of the people who have to visit their loved ones there?

"I go down with a pair of garden shears to try and tidy up a little bit but I shouldn't have to do that.

"I come home and cry sometimes because I am so upset. It is heartbreaking."

David Jones took his wheelchair-bound wife Audrey to the graveyard on Tuesday.

The couple, who live in Chadsmoor, said they were shocked when they saw the state of the site.

Mr Jones, aged 59, said: "It was like a jungle. We only go to the graveyard on special occasions like birthdays to lay flowers.

"We were shocked when we got there. My wife couldn't get to some of the graves in her wheelchair.

"I've contacted the council about the matter but heard nothing back."

Mr Jones said numerous members of his wife's family were buried at the graveyard.

Meanwhile Beryl Smith went along to lay flowers at her father's grave on Friday. Her dad, Harold Blakemore, died in 1999.

Retired factory worker Mrs Smith said: "I went on Friday and the grass was about 3ft high. It hasn't been cut for months now. The church used to manage the graveyard but three months ago the council took over.

"You can't get to the graves it's that bad. I couldn't believe how bad it was.

"It's upsetting. I actually took a pair of scissors along to cut the grass back on dad's grave."

Cannock Chase Council was unavailable today for comment.