Gloucester mum's heartbreak as council tells her to remove decorative fence around son's grave
Watch: ITV West Country's Ken Goodwin reports
A mother from Gloucester has been told to remove a decorative fence which borders her son's grave as it could be a health and safety risk.
Sharna Andrews' son Harry-Lee died suddenly last year, aged 7, after suffering a severe asthma attack.
She decorated his grave following his death but has now been told the fence has to go.
Gloucester City Council said boardings have to be approved by a stonemason so they can maintain the ground without risk of damaging it or posing a health and safety risk.
Ms Andrews, 27, from Tredworth, told ITV News West Country she doesn't understand why the fence has to be removed.
"The council has asked me to remove this wooden border because of the rules and regulations and because of health and safety. As I'm looking at it, there is no health and safety. It's just like any other grave that is enclosed," she said.
Ms Andrews added: "I was angry, upset, I asked myself why? When my daughter heard about it, she got really upset by it as well. Home-made stuff is personal — if I got a stonemason to do it, it wouldn't be personal to us because we didn't do it."
She said it "hurts" to be told that she can't keep the fence.
"To know that I can't do anything to his resting place hurts because this is the last journey where we took him. His body lies here so we do come here and put things. It's really horrible," she said.
Ms Andrews received a letter a few weeks ago telling her to remove the fence by October 27.
However, she has since been given a reprieve until 16 November as city councillors are due to discuss a motion which calls for a review of the cemetery rules and regulations.
It's understood that 12 other families have received letters from the council asking them to remove items and decorations from their loved ones' graves.
Councillor Alastair Chambers (Independent, Coney Hill and Matson) said he was "disgusted" to find out Gloucester City Council would remove families' belongings.
He said: "The graves are beautifully done — beautiful memorabilia to lost loved ones. I can't see any reason. I can't see any reason whatsoever for the council to send these letters in and put even further pain to death."
In a statement, Gloucester City Council said it understood that grieving is a difficult time for families and that the authority does not wish to cause any further distress.
It added: "The rules and regulations for Gloucester Crematorium have been in place since August 2014 and are in line with those in place in other cemeteries and graveyards around the country.
"All families are asked to sign up to these at the time of burial and copies are then sent to them to retain.
"We do not allow families to place boardings, kerb sets or chippings on graves unless they are approved by a stonemason, as it allows the ground to be maintained without risk of damaging any plastic or wooden surrounds placed there and protects the health and safety of workers and visitors."