Rumpus over ‘hazardous’ flowers left on graves in village near Horsham

The notice - at St Peter’s church in the village near Horsham - requested the removal of the items because of ‘churchyard guidance regulations, health and safety.’

But villagers have taken to social media describing it as ‘health and safety gone mad.’

The notice states: “In accordance with the rules, please remove from graves and the memorial area all hazardous items, such as artificial flowers, wind chimes, toys, pictures, woooden frames, cages or netting.”

It went on to say that any items left would be removed and placed in a box for collection - and any not claimed would be recycled.

But the notice spurred a flood of on-line complaints. One man said he was struggling to see how “any of those items placed on a private grave can be classed as hazardous.”

Another said: “The notice does not state reasons but whatever they are it seems heartless.”

And a woman added: “I think this is sad especially if there are child graves” and added that she was struggling to think how an artificial flower could be hazardous.

But church verger Susie Dalrymple, who helps organise a monthly clear-up of the churchyard by volunteers, said that the notice was in response to diocese rules.

“The diocese has set the rules on what we can and what we can’t do. It has been a rule for some time but it just hasn’t been adhered to.”

She said most people understood the rules but that at “odd times of the year, such as Christmas we get twinkly lights and all sorts.”

She said the health and safety issue really related to plastic and glass left around graves which got into mowers when the grass was being cut.

She added that no-one had complained directly to her about the rules and most people understood that they were diocesan regulations.

She said that the graves were tended by a small group of volunteers - and that another had come forward to help following the rumpus.

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