Tidying at cemetery ‘destroying its wildlife’
NEIGHBOURS SAY UNAUTHORISED WORK HAS RESUMED AT THE SITE
OVERZEALOUS and unauthorised tidying of a cemetery is harming wildlife, neighbours claim.
They say people are going into Loughborough Cemetery, a conservation area, without permission and ripping away the plants, hedgerows and undergrowth that serve as homes to foxes, badgers, mice, bats and birds.
Campaigners first raised the issue two years ago after a group began clearing away ivy and plants and severely trimming bushes.
In May last year, Charnwood Borough Council issued a statement saying only authorised volunteers with the Friends of Loughborough Cemetery group could maintain the site.
However, Sarah Rate, who has lived next to the cemetery for almost 50 years, said: “It stopped for a while, but it started back up again just after Christmas and people were going in there and making a right mess.
“The damage they’re doing is unbelievable. And what they’re doing to the graves... If that were my family’s graves, I’d be going nuts. Leave people to rest in peace.
“They were just ripping up all the greenery and they’re knocking all the gravestones down.
“There are beautiful animals in there, creatures, birds, butterflies, insects. It’s a bit of a haven for wildlife.
“There are not as many owls any more. Since they’ve been ripping up the bushes, I think a lot of the mammals haven’t got anywhere to live, so there are no owls because there aren’t so many mice.
“It looked amazing with all the wildflowers, some beautiful bushes.
“These people have just gone in and hacked these bushes down and killed them.”
Ms Rate said it was clear about three people had taken it upon themselves to clear the site and were not part of the Friends of Loughborough Cemetery Group – which she praised.
“We need it stopping properly. We thought last year after a huge battle, we eventually got it stopped and it was great,” she said. “To see it start again is not good enough.”
A Charnwood Borough Council spokesman said: “We would like to thank the Friends of Loughborough Cemetery who do an amazing job.
“We need to balance the usage of the site as a cemetery and a place for plant and animal life.
“People visit the cemetery for reflection, so we need to keep it tidy. We also consider how to support the biodiversity there.
“A senior ecological officer has visited the cemetery and is happy with how the site is being managed.
“We are aware of concerns raised that some people may be helping to maintain the site under their own initiative.
“With that in mind, we will be organising a meeting for residents to understand any concerns and provide clarity on how we can work together to best manage the site.”