Cemetary Board regrets grave clearances

Albany Cemetery Board says they will personally apologise to families who had sentimental items and flowers removed from headstones and thrown away as rubbish.

At least seven local families were left outraged after flowers and ornaments were hastily removed from headstones at Allambie Park Cemetery late last month.

Board chairman Alan Hortin said the cemetery’s new groundsman, who has been blamed for disposing of the items, had cleaned the grounds within the laws.

“We have one of the tidiest cemeteries going around,” Mr Hortin said.

“He did a clean-up within the bylaws, but he has not retained the items. We are very regretful of that. Once they are gone, that is very sad.”

Albany resident Pauline Freeman lodged an official complaint with the Albany Cemetery Board after sentimental items were removed from her husband and son’s headstone.

“The loss of my husband and son is difficult enough to deal with without being confronted by this,” she said.

Local florist Leslie Nesbitt thought someone had stolen the flowers from his mother’s headstone before discovering it was not an isolated incident.

“It’s really, really sad,” Mr Nesbitt said.

“I was told everything had gone to the rubbish tip.”

Mr Hortin said the board was drafting a letter to send to the upset families.