'State' of graveyard leaves widow struggling to access husband's stone

Kath Wilson paid to have her husband Thomas’ name added to his parents’ headstone and his ashes buried in their grave at St Aidan’s Anglican Church in Billinge, following his passing on November 20, 2022.

Kath and Thomas were married for 56 years, and had two children, a son and a daughter.

However, Kath has been left increasingly frustrated and upset by the unkempt nature of that area of the graveyard, which she says is behind the church, and making it difficult for her to get to Thomas’ resting place.

Kath shared some photographs of the disgusting state of the graveyard (Image: Submitted)

Kath said: “I am unable to access my husband’s resting place because of the state of the graveyard, it is so neglected and overrun with weeds and foliage that there is a definite health and safety situation.

READ > Brother, 10, to run in memory of brave boy who died from cancer

“I am clambering over other people’s graves to get to my husband’s. I am 80 now and it’s hard for me, I’m not as nimble.

“We have always tried to keep the grave tidy. We have been in touch with the church and they don’t seem to want to do anything about it.”

The graveyard at St Aidan's, Billinge (Image: Submitted)

Kath, from Billinge, added: “After complaining to one of the church committee we were told that there was no money available to pay anyone to attend to it, yet the front part of the graveyard is being kept mown and tidy. It is the graveyard at the back of the church that is an absolute disgrace. 

Kath said there are war veterans of the First World War, one of whom was a pilot, among those buried there, saying the state of their resting place is “so disrespectful”.

“There is no other church in the village or surrounding area with such a disgraceful graveyard,” she added.

Kath said she has had to clamber over other graves to get to Thomas' resting place (Image: Submitted)

When contacted by the Star, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Liverpool said: “We recognise how upsetting it is for relatives when a graveyard is unkempt however this is a challenge that we are facing in a few places.

“Local church congregations do their best to maintain the common areas but as congregations get older and there are fewer resources it becomes more of a challenge.

“Local churches do not get any core funding for this so rely on the generosity of local people and their communities.

“We are sure they will want to be able to do more and would be willing for people to come forward to support and maintain land for the benefit of all”.