COUNCIL officials have been told they should be ‘ashamed of themselves’ over the state of Knutsford’s cemetery.

The Guardian has received numerous phone calls and letters from townsfolk blasting the lack of care and maintenance at the Tabley Hill Lane site.

Sheila Buckley, from Holmes Chapel, told the Guardian her first husband, her parents and her grandma are all buried at the cemetery and she couldn’t believe the condition of the graveyard when she visited last week.

“I was devastated when I saw it and to be honest I shed a few tears,” she said.

“I worked in Knutsford for a long time and it was very precious to me but seeing the state that the cemetery was in, it was heart breaking.

“There was one broken water can up there and I spoke to one man who said he was going to go back into town and buy one to use when he comes up.

“It is a disgrace to Knutsford and the borough council should be ashamed of themselves.”

Knutsford resident Julie Bason added: “Having recently lost my father, I found comfort in knowing that his final resting place was going to be peaceful and beautiful. Or so I thought.

“On arrival at Knutsford Cemetery last week, I cannot describe the shock we felt. We were greeted by unkempt gardens. Headstones pushed over due to health and safety laws, uncut grass, some weeds taller than my 5ft frame. It seemed that the cemetery had been left to fall into disarray.”

Joan Carter, of Tatton Dale, Knutsford, said she visited the cemetery on Wednesday, June 1.

“I was appalled at the disgrace of the place, the grass hadn't been cut for weeks. What are we paying our rates for?

“Do we have to take shears and cut our own plot? The council officials ought to visit Lower Peover church yard and see how they look after their graves there.”

Opened on January 11, 1902, the cemetery, operated by Cheshire East Council – and not Knutsford Town Council – covers five acres of land and includes a chapel.

Cheshire East Clr Rod Menlove, cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “We would like to apologise to families visiting Knutsford Cemetery who have been upset by the lack of grass cutting near to their loved-ones graves.

“We will be cutting the grass this week and would like to reassure residents that this is the exception rather than the norm.

“Due to staff sickness we have been less able to keep the grass maintained as this has coincided with the growing season as well as a large number of burials which have had to take priority over grass cutting.”

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