25 January 2024 , 08:31
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A grieving family were heartbroken when gifts and mementoes they left on their daughter’s grave were removed with “no warning”.
Rebekah Morris, 29, died in July 2022 when she was trampled to death by cattle in Littlethorpe, Leicestershire. To mark her 30th birthday a numbers of presents were left at her grave but received a letter while away from home from Blaby Parish Council saying they had to be removed owing to health and safety. When her aunt and uncle visited her grave they were shocked to find everything had been removed.
Rebekah’s father, Mr Morris, said: “We were devastated, distraught and angry. Anthea and Dinah (Rebekah's mum and aunt) were in tears the whole time we were there.
The gifts left at Rebekah's grave (Supplied)
The grave has been stripped clean (Supplied)“My wife was absolutely inconsolable at how they could do this. Dinah said they are wicked. I was distraught and just couldn't believe they could just kick you when you are down. Myself and Pete (Rebekah's uncle) even searched through the bins but couldn't find anything," he told LeicestershireLive.
Mr Morris rang the parish council the next day about the missing items but he said the authority could not locate anything. The couple’s son also wrote to the council manager but hasn't yet heard back, he said. Mr and Mrs Morris said they are devastated by the council's action against them and want the items replaced and appropriate action taken.
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Last September, Blaby Parish Council was awarded the Bereaved Community Award Silver Prize at the National Cemetery of the Year Awards. On receiving the award, parish council manager Vicki Jepson said: ‘We are all extremely pleased to be recognised with this national award, it acknowledges that we go the extra mile to help and support the bereaved’.
Regarding the award, Mr Morris said: "Quite frankly we feel the award is a joke and totally unjustified, just weeks after they received the award and, without notice, a week before Christmas, they completely cleared our daughter's grave of items gifted by ourselves, family and friends including Becki's 30th birthday gifts.
"Everything was removed and put in the bin, it has caused myself and my wife a huge amount of emotional distress as well as the detrimental effect on mine and my wife's health due to the amount of stress and the emotional upset we are dealing with daily."
Blaby Parish Council has been approached for comment.