Mike Crosland (65) and his wife Jenny, of Nene Crescent, Oakham, accuse Rutland County Council of being heartless for banning urns, ornaments, flower vases and similar tributes from the garden of remembrance.

Mr Crosland places fresh flowers in a vase on the interment plot of his mother-in-law each week.

His bedridden wife, Jenny, 65, who has never been able to visit her late mother's memorial, was distraught after a notice was put outside the Chapel of Rest saying graveside ornaments should be placed in a special paved area nearby to make grass-cutting easier.

The notice adds that any ornaments not in the designated area by November 10 will be moved.

Mrs Crosland said: "Please don't let them do this. It is so wrong, I just want my mum where she is and I don't want her flowers moved."

The ashes of Mrs Crosland's late mother Daphne Underwood, who died in 2001 at the age of 87 are marked by a plaque outside the Chapel of Rest.
Next to her plaque is a stone vase with flowers. There are about 50 other memorial plaques with ornaments, vases or urns in the section of the cemetery that are also affected.

Mr Crosland, 65, a retired technical author said: "You can't put them in a general area, it is ridiculous. How will you decide whose flowers are whose?

"The vases have been in place for many years and during that time the grass has always been successfully strimmed so why it should be a problem now is anybody's guess.

"Is the council so out of touch that they cannot see how upsetting and hurtful it is for those of us who religiously place flowers in memory of a loved one?"

Councillor Janine Rodger, cabinet portfolio holder for community services, said the council had tried to handle the situation with tact and diplomacy.

She said: "Historically, any items were placed on a designated paved area but in recent years this has started to involve the lawned area in front of the chapel.

"This makes cutting the grass and other maintenance extremely difficult and it was felt it would only be a matter of time until one of the items left on the lawn was accidentally damaged. "For this reason, anybody wishing to leave items in the garden of remembrance is requested to use the designated paved areas."