A WOMAN has been left feeling 'angry' at a rule which prevents people from laying artificial flowers on graves at a church on Walney.

Denise Winlow, 70, who was born on Walney but now lives in Dalton, had noticed on two previous visits to a family grave with her husband that the silk flowers which she had laid had gone.

When it happened for a third time, she mentioned it to a person in the cemetery who said the church had been removing the flowers.

Mrs Winlow said: "I was just so angry that someone had dared to take flowers off a family grave and not let us know. How dare they do that?

"They are silk flowers. I'd understand in the old days when they were sharp and horrible.

"I just think the whole thing is absolutely ludicrous."

Signs are yet to be placed around the graveyard to inform people that artificial flowers will be removed.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Carlisle said: "Earlier this year, members of St Mary’s Walney undertook a tidy up of their churchyard. As part of that process, it became apparent that artificial flowers had been laid on some graves.

"The artificial flowers breached Churchyard Regulations and so were removed to the church for safe keeping and later collection by those who had laid them. Parochial Church Council members were also concerned that wire within the artificial flowers posed a health and safety risk for people who cut and strim the grass in the churchyard.

"PCC members subsequently posted an explanatory notice on the front page of the church’s website, in which an apology was also offered to those people who were not contacted before the artificial flowers were removed. Public notices are also set to be erected in the churchyard providing further advice.

"We are sorry that people may have been upset. The laying of artificial flowers is not allowed under the diocesan Churchyard Regulations, the purpose of which is to keep our churchyards in decent order. Christmas wreaths and poppies at Remembrance are permitted but these should be removed once the season is over. The Regulations are overseen by the Chancellor of the Diocese who is the ecclesiastical Judge with ultimate responsibility for decisions affecting churchyards.

"We would always encourage conversations to be had with clergy or PCC members about any particular wishes there may be for a burial plot, whilst also recognising the importance of the Regulations in managing these areas of valuable heritage and great responsibility."