A CONCERNED resident claims grieving mourners have been left in tears after a cemetery was allowed to become overgrown.

Robert Evans, 72, says the state of Burnham Cemetery has become “deplorable” and is now calling for action.

Mr Evans, of Bluebell Drive, has lived in Burnham all his life.

He says he has spent the past six months trying to get the town and district councils to do something done about the overgrown cemetery.

He said: “I went up there this morning and I saw three people crying at the state of the place.

“Maldon Cemetery was in a similar state.

“I don’t expect it to be like Buckingham Palace, but you should be able to walk around without two feet of grass.

“You should expect some kind of respect for those who have died and those who pay their taxes to be buried there.

“I am sorry to say it doesn’t even meet the lowest standards. The cemetery looks like its been like that for 20 years.”

But Maldon District Council says the grass has deliberately been left to grow long to provide a habitat for wildlife.

A spokesman said: “Following the success of changes to management and trials in the cutting routines and hedge and tree management at Maldon Cemetery since the autumn of 2017, from spring this year we have had some trial areas set aside within Burnham Cemetery where we have allowed the grass sward to grow much longer, with the express intention to cut less frequently to improve the site for wildlife and species diversity.

“These trial areas have been in the older sections or the boundaries of the cemetery and we have been monitoring to remove any encroaching brambles or large patches of nettles, as well as ensuring that any families or local residents who have raised concern about access to specific graves have been able to reach them without difficulty.

“Although we fully understand the concerns that some visitors to the cemeteries may have about the appearance, we would remind them that even though much of our cemetery sites are maintained as ‘lawn’ sections, there have always been such ‘wilder’ margins and areas left undisturbed in their management.

“We have seen a marked increase in the number of pollinating insects within these grass sward areas at Burnham, as well as sighting common lizards and our first confirmed adder on site for many years – one of this year’s young discovered by one of our community volunteers during a work party on site.”

The council said the “wild meadow” areas will be cut in August and again later in the year.