Mourner describes cemetery in Harborough as 'disgusting and disgraceful'

An outraged woman has blasted the “disgusting and disgraceful” state of a major cemetery in Market Harborough.

The heartbroken local mourner said the cemetery on Northampton Road is being turned into an “ugly mess” with beer bottles and cans strewn around and old wreaths, flowers and old charms stacked up.

She is now calling on Harborough District Council, which runs the busy site, to urgently tidy it up – and to crack down on vandalism and “criminal behaviour”.

The local authority said it understands how “distressing” the growing problem is as it vows to “monitor the situation”.

Today the woman protester, who asked not to be named, told the Harborough Mail: “I only hope that the council will act and act soon because the cemetery has fallen into a disgusting and disgraceful state.

“It’s absolutely awful.

“I live in Market Harborough and go to the cemetery every day to visit my son’s grave.

“He was just 26 years old when he tragically died back in 2012.

“It’s hard enough and upsetting enough to have to go to see him buried there without having to put up with this atrocious mess around us,” said the woman, aged in her 60s.

“Beer bottles, drinks cans and all sorts of other filthy trash have been scattered and strewn around the grounds.

“Old wreaths, flowers, bouquets, charms and boards and ornaments have also been piled up against the hedge in there.

“It’s so bad and so horrible it looks like it’s been fly-tipped there.

“What makes people think they can create an horrific eyesore like this anywhere – never mind in a sombre place of rest and remembrance.

“Hooligans have also been wrecking the grass by driving vans, trucks and 4x4s across the turf in the cemetery.

“They’ve just torn it up, leaving deep tyre marks all over the site.

“These despicable vandals have also crashed into two wooden posts and just knocked them down.

“I’ve been reduced to tears in there, it’s been that heartbreaking,” said the devastated mother-of-two.

“And other mourners and visitors feel just as strongly as me about this totally unacceptable state of affairs.

“I’ve spoken to no end of people in there who are just as angry and just as distressed as I am.

“The idiots who are doing this are showing a complete lack of respect for the people of Market Harborough visiting their loved ones in our town’s cemetery.

“They should be caught and punished.

“The council has got to get a grip now.

“The staff who work there do the best they can to look after the site,” she said.

“But they need far more support and resources to clean and tidy up the cemetery and clamp down on this appalling vandalism and wanton criminal behaviour.”

Cllr Jonathan Bateman, Harborough council’s Cabinet lead for environmental services, told the Mail: “We are aware of these issues and have tidied areas where items have been discarded.

“We understand how distressing this is, and are looking at some improvements to the knee-rail fencing, to prevent vehicles driving on the grass.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Cllr Phil King, the council’s leader, vowed: “We will find out what is going on at the cemetery – this isn’t good enough.

“I’m very sorry to hear that this woman mourner has been left so upset.

“We will do all we can to make sure that the cemetery is properly looked after and maintained and respected in the right way.”