Largs cemetery mourners 'take own strimmers to cut grass'

West Kilbride resident Graham Somerville told the News that he has had to take the drastic action such was the uncouth nature of the grass left overgrown at the graveside of his father.

Mr Somerville, 75, said: "It has become apparent over the last few months that maintenance of Haylie Brae Cemetery falls short of what is happening at other 'closed' cemeteries in North Ayrshire like Irvine, Halkhead, Stevenston, Beith and Kilbirnie.

Pictures taken at graveside show the extent of the problem (Image: Pic supplied)

"I have visited other closed cemeteries in Lanarkshire and elsewhere in Scotland, and Largs is by far the worst and the most neglected in terms of council maintenance.

"I visited section W on August 30, and it looked as though the grass had not been cut for some weeks. I again visited section W on September 8 -  an attempt had been made to cut the grass but no strimming had been done, as shown in the photographs.

"I have been up again and the condition is the same. People are having to take strimmers up to the cemetery to tidy family graves. This is not the case at the cemeteries I have mentioned above, so why is it happening in Largs?"

Overgrown grass at Haylie Brae cemetery (Image: Pic supplied)

The pensioner added: "For some reason in Largs we are not getting the same standard as elsewhere, and I am tired of going up and seeing that the cemetery is not being attended to.

"So many people are now having to take up strimmers to tidy up their layers.

"I know that there have been cuts to grounds maintenance but this seems ridiculous that people now have to take up their own strimmers.

"How can this be acceptable? And given that other closed cemeteries in North Ayrshire seem to be getting better coverage, why are we missing out in Largs?"

Cllr Tom Marshall has said that the council have received no complaints (Image: Pic supplied)

North Coast Conservative councillor Tom Marshall told the News that the council was unaware of any complaints.

He said: "Unfortunately, we have seen the ground maintenance team in the North Coast area of Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, West Kilbride and Largs, cut from 20 staff to 12, and we have seen grass cutting in general across the area reduced as a result.

"However I think that the cemetery looks to be quite tidy. I believe that there have been no complaints to the council.

Largs Cemetery (Image: Tom Marshall)
"Perhaps potential complainers want a nice lawn finish but personally I think the grass is reasonably well tended to and left as a rough cut finish."

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Cemetery maintenance is carried out by our Streetscene team.

“We have received no complaints in relation to the maintenance of Haylie Brae Cemetery, and planned ground maintenance will be done - as scheduled - in the coming weeks.”