Two Inverness women have spoken of their turmoil after discovering extensive damage to sentimental ornaments placed at their mothers’ graves.
In separate incidents, Jemma MacDonald and Shaune Crosbie have both experienced damage at the graveside from grass cutters conducting regular maintenance at the cemeteries at Tomnahurich and Dulnain Bridge.
Miss MacDonald discovered the destruction of the solar lights and fencing placed around her mother’s grave after attending a family funeral on Wednesday at Dulnain Bridge cemetery.
She said: “Before the funeral I went over to say hello and lay some flowers where I discovered the fence and lights had been completely destroyed.
“I was really upset and heartbroken. I lost my dad when I was 16 and my mum last year and for my mum that’s all I have. It’s actually made me really angry, I made it nice for me and my wee boy to visit and now it’s been destroyed.
“It’s as if it’s been done with no care in the world and is very much a case of getting the job done quickly rather than taking care.
“I live in Inverness and it’s really difficult to get to my mother’s grave. I will be looking into taking on the upkeep myself. It’s not ideal with me being so far away but I would rather do that than risk any more damage.”
Shaune Crosbie also experienced a similar situation at Inverness’ Tomnahurich cemetery two weeks ago.
The grave at Tomnahurich where Miss Crosbie’s mother is buried is also a child grave to her late aunt, who died aged three and a half.
Miss Crosbie said: “Last year I had placed a memorial stone to put flowers into and the grass cutters had hit it and chipped the back side. It wasn’t noticeable when you looked at it so I just left it. But a few weeks ago they hit it again and the whole side of it was gone and I had to put it in the bin.
“We have a lot of sentimental ornaments there and they are all broken.
“It’s disgusting. There has been no respect at all shown.
“I am a single mother with three kids. I can’t afford to buy new ornaments each week.
“I phoned to make a complaint as this has happened more than once. I was asked to go down and speak to the head of the team in person where he asked me how much I had spent on the ornament and offered me it there and then.
“I didn’t want any money. There is no excuse. The man in charge claimed staff didn’t have the man power to lift every ornament off every grave but it was one plant pot they would have had to pick up.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “The council has management rules for cemeteries which state that ‘No kerbs, stones, footstones, railings, fences or any other structures (other than authorised memorials) will be permitted on lair spaces within a cemetery’.
“Our maintenance staff are instructed to remove all ornaments before strimming works. The council has been in contact with the lair holder affected.”
