Cemetery treated like 'dumping ground' as tearful mourners clean up 'damaged' graves

A man said Bootle Cemetery is being treated like a 'dumping ground' after discovering the damage done to his friend's graveside.

Colin Chad has challenged Sefton Council to find a solution after seeing numerous visitors reduced to tears by the condition of the graves. He attributes this to the 'careless disrespect' of the garden workers contracted by the local authority.

The problems arise during the spring when gardeners are tasked with cutting the grass and maintaining the grounds of the cemetery. However, multiple complaints have been made about the amount of green waste and debris left on the gravestones and the damage done to graveside ornaments when they are hit with the strimmer.

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Colin visits Bootle Cemetery every day to tend to his mate's gravestone and ensure the area is tidy. It's a show of the respect and compassion to his close friend who sadly passed away in 2019.

Like many mourners - family, friends, colleagues and neighbours - Colin wants to show the world his friend has not been forgotten and there's people in the world who still think of them. One way of doing this is to maintain their resting place and keep it looking as clean as possible.

Another common practice among mourners at Bootle Cemetery is bringing little mementos which point to some of the personality traits, passions and hobbies of the person who has passed away. For Colin, they provide comfort and conjure up cherished memories.

One item potted around his friend's gravestone are twin flower holders in Everton blue which read: 'In Loving Memory'. The third holder is grey with the following inscription: 'In Loving Memory of a dear Brother'.

Like all the other graves on the same row, these holders are accompanied with flowers - some natural, some made with cloth - and ornaments with poignant verses and personal dedications. They are simple tokens of a sincerely felt love and provide consolation to those grieving.

It is for these reasons the damage done hits people so hard. Colin said: "I've seen people here in tears cleaning up the headstones and removing damaged pots after the grass is cut with the strimmer.

"The people who do the gardens here just don't care. I asked them whether they'd be happy if this was their parents headstone. They didn't say anything.

"It all just gets brushed under the carpet but it's gone on for four years now and we're getting nowhere. I speak to people every day here who are really upset by it.

In April, the ECHO reported on another incident at Bootle Cemetery involving a woman who felt "completely heartbroken" after visiting her nan's resting place. After more grass cutting, the woman said the grave was left in a "disgraceful" condition.

Asked why he thinks it keeps happening - despite multiple complaints to the council - Colin said: "It's carelessness, a lack of respect and a funding issue. Cemeteries in Southport seem fine, but it seems this place is treated as a dumping ground."

Colin said the equipment the gardeners are using is old and not fit for purpose. He is calling on Sefton Council (along with other residents we've spoken with) to invest in better mowers which pick up the waste and debris. They also ask the local authority to train staff attending to the site to ensure they are working with due care and respect.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "Additional resources have been allocated to our 2024 cemetery maintenance programme including utilising those who are part of the Community Payback Scheme.

“Where weather and resources allow, we also work extremely hard to ensure memorials are cleaned, alongside the care and attention given by those visiting to pay their respects.

“However the team’s challenging schedule is often delayed by the increasing number of unauthorised memorials that have been left by the public and guidance on what types of memorials are most suitable is widely publicised.

“We once again kindly ask for the public’s help to be considerate about any impromptu memorials they leave, making sure they are not in a place where they may cause obstructions or damage to our cutting equipment.”

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