Council apologises after worker was spotted sitting on gravestone to smoke cigarette during break
- Leah Emerson saw incident involving worker at Brumby Cemetery, Scunthorpe
- She felt it showed a lack of respect for the dead and bereaved families visiting
- North Lincolnshire Council apologised for any distress caused by the incident
A council has apologised after a worker was spotted sitting on a gravestone smoking a cigarette while on a break.
Leah Emerson caught one of the North Lincolnshire Council grass cutting team in the act while tending to her brother’s grave at Brumby Cemetery in Scunthorpe.
She said she felt the workers were showing a lack of respect for the dead and the bereaved families who visit the graveyard, prompting the local authority to apologise for any distress caused.
Leah added: ‘I have had to make a few complaints before so I think the issues seem to fall on deaf ears at the council now.
A council has apologised after a worker was spotted sitting on a gravestone smoking a cigarette while on a break.
‘I was so fed up of having to clean headstones and cut the grass myself where my brother is buried I had a meeting with a couple of managers and they gave me permission to take care of the area.
‘I just feel like more needs to be done to teach people a little more ‘etiquette’ and respect whilst visiting our cemeteries.
‘I don’t want to get anyone in trouble but I feel this is just one step too far to see someone who should know better to be sat smoking on a headstone.’
North Lincolnshire Council apologised but maintained its teams take pride in their work.
Bosses said that this incident was more of a one-off than a regular occurrence and sought to reassure mourners that council teams are respectful when working in the cemetery.
A spokesperson said: ‘We would like to apologise for any distress this may have caused.
‘The maintenance teams take great pride in the work they do and uphold very high standards.
‘The teams are, at all times, respectful while working hard to provide a fitting environment to enable people to pay their respects to lost loved ones.
‘We would like to assure people this is not normal practice and council procedures have been invoked.’
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