FAMILIES are being requested to remove personal items from loved ones’ graves to comply with church rules.

Judith Findley, along with sisters Gaye, Elaine and brother Peter, regularly tend the grave of their mother, Elsie Atkinson, but she was left upset when she visited St Germains graveyard in Marske, east Cleveland, on Mothers’ Day to discover two personal mementoes had been removed without notice.

Following the discovery, her husband Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councillor Mike Findley wrote to church authorities to question the decision to remove the items.

As a result, a meeting was called between church authorities and concerned family members.

Cllr Findley said: "We met the Archdeacon of York, Sandra Bullock, for a second time, having spoken to the Chancellor of York and the Vicar of St Mark’s, they came to the conclusion that the rules which cover the churchyard, which are covered by law, must be respected, she said that a notice will be publicised giving everyone four weeks notice to remove all items from their family graves, they will allow fresh flowers only.

"Obviously we were hoping for some kind of compromise however, none were forthcoming as the rules are the rules. It’s possible we could have legally challenged their decision on three counts.

Firstly that before 2011 nobody from the church was bothered about the state of the Churchyard, secondly, the present Vicar has been in post for around two and a half years and has only recently decided implement the rules, and thirdly, the two sentimental items on my mother-in-law’s grave have been there for nearly ten years, so why wasn’t the rules implemented during that period of time.

"However, Judith has now reluctantly removed the two sentimental items from her mother’s grave, it’s a sad reflection on the church when they feel the need to take such action, it’s all right having rules, but sometimes there needs to be common sense."

A booklet of rules have been published by the Diocese of York to make its stance clear on what can and cannot be placed within a churchyard.

It reads: "It is not an easy task to produce Rules which will be of universal application throughout the diocese and I am aware of the differences which exist between one churchyard and another. But we do need to have a policy for the diocese as a whole. I trust that the Rules will help us all to keep our churchyards in a worthy state, as part of our commitment to discipleship and mission."

The Darlington and Stockton Times was unable to contact the Vicar of St Mark's last night.