Relatives 'gobsmacked' after grave mementos smashed
Families started a petition in protest after Broxtowe Borough Council said it was going to remove the mementos, which then led the authority to put any changes on hold for 12 months.
Visitors say they then found flowers, plant pots and crosses had been overturned last week and were told by the council ants, birds, badgers, foxes and muntjac deer were responsible.
But families have blamed council grass cutting, going so far as to stake out the cemetery to see whether animals were causing the problems.
Lindsey Collins, 46, from Beeston, whose son, Josh, was buried in the cemetery in 2021, said the problems were noticed on Tuesday 10 June.
She said: "The gardeners had been in and after mowing, several graves with pots, ornaments and memorials were damaged.
"In all the years we have been in the cemetery this has never happened before.
"The odd breakage is to be expected, but this damage was over several sections and areas of the cemetery.
"I was disgusted, heartbroken. And with Father's Day coming up I was worried how it was going to affect people."
Ms Collins estimated around 20 plots were affected with other visitors visibly distressed.
But this turned into surprise when Broxtowe Borough Council denied its gardeners were responsible.
"They said it was ants," said Ms Collins. "They said the ants were nesting in the tubs and then birds were coming to peck at them and then knocking the vases which then get caught in the long grass and get mowed.
"Then apparently badgers, foxes and muntjac deer also knocked over the ornaments.
"We were gobsmacked.
"So the cemetery committee staked out the area overnight and we never saw any activity from the animals which might explain what happened."
A spokesman for Broxtowe Borough Council said: "We have an experienced team that understands the sensitivities of working within our graveyards.
"All items are placed at the owner's risk."
The wider issue of leaving tributes on graves was discussed by the council earlier this month but a decision was deferred.
Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
Families 'disheartened' by proposed grave rules
Broxtowe Borough Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie woman searches for answers after puzzling encounter on famous beach
An Aussie woman was casually wandering along a popular beach last week when a puzzling encounter left her with a series of burning questions. Ginni Woof was strolling on the sand just south of Larapuna, otherwise known as the Bay of Fires, in Tasmania's northeast when she saw three waddling wombats soaking up the sunshine as they grazed on native vegetation. Not only were they enjoying a feast, but the iconic animals also appeared to have been digging in the dunes behind the beach, leaving several small holes, including one that had partially filled with saltwater. The freshly dug crevices and the wombat tracks leading away from them left Ginni pondering what exactly the creatures had been searching for in the area, which is a popular holiday destination. Hoping to gain some answers, the Aussie turned to other Tasmanian residents for help. 'Just wondering if anyone can tell me what wombats are digging for in the dunes behind the beach south of Larapuna?' she posted online alongside images of one of the mammals, which 'took off at lightning speed' when it realised it was being watched, and the series of holes. Ginni said the wombats didn't appear to be suffering from mange — a highly contagious disease caused by mites that burrow in the skin, resulting in itchy sores, fur loss and eventual blindness. The incident also confused others online, some of whom pondered if the wombats were practising their digging technique, but Ginni insisted their behaviour hinted that they were 'after something'. Why were the wombats digging on the Tasmanian beach? After reviewing the images, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) told Yahoo News that wombats are adaptable, and it's 'not unusual for them to readily use coastal habitats, including sand dunes, when conditions suit'. 'Their digging behaviour in these areas could be for a range of reasons, however, it is likely due to feeding activity or for shelter,' they said. 'Wombats are primarily grazers and excavate to reach underground plant parts. Beaches also support a range of invertebrates which may be of interest to wombats.' The spokesperson explained that sandy habitats can sometimes create short, shallow excavations known as 'blinds', and if conditions prove suitable, they can expand into full burrows, which can be up to 20 metres long and have numerous connecting tunnels and entrances. 📸 Beautiful photo taken after 'battle-scarred' wombat's life-changing moment 🚘 Council rolls out new road signs to combat 'devastating' problem 👀 Skiers film 'bizarre' encounter high on Aussie ski slopes Bare-nosed wombats, also known as the common wombat, are widespread across Tasmania and can be found at sea level and in alpine areas, however, they have a preference for grassland, heathland and coastal shrub, according to the department's website. Earlier this month, an avid skier opened up about her own 'bizarre' encounter with the iconic Aussie animal. Claudine Talbot was travelling down the slopes with a friend in Kosciuszko National Park when a rock suddenly started to move, leading her to quickly realise it was in fact a wombat. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
GCSE results day explained including new app and how students can appeal their grades
Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE and Level 2 vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) results on Thursday. The results will help them progress to sixth form, college or training. But what should students expect from results day? Here is an expert guide. How do GCSE grades differ across the UK? In England, GCSEs are graded using a numerical system from 9 to 1 rather than from A* to G – with 9 being the highest grade. A grade 7 and above is roughly equivalent to an A and above, while a grade 4 and above – which is considered a 'standard pass' – is roughly equivalent to a C and above. But government performance data highlights the percentage of pupils who achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths – which is roughly equivalent to a high grade C or low grade B. The rollout of the numerical grading system began in 2017 in England, and by 2020, all subjects were graded in numbers. In Northern Ireland, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment uses a nine-category grade scale A* – G – which includes a C*. In Wales, the traditional eight-category grade scale A* – G has been retained. Scotland has a different qualification system and pupils received their results for National 5 exams earlier this month. Will GCSE pupils get their results on an app this year? Tens of thousands of GCSE students in England will get their grades in an app on Thursday as part of a government pilot. The government is trialling the Education Record app with more than 95,000 pupils in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands this summer, ahead of a national rollout. Students involved in the pilot will still be able to pick up their paper results in the normal way from their school or college from 8am on results day. Their results will also be made available on the app at 11am. It is hoped digital education records, which will bring pupils' exam results and certificates into one app, will help pupils when applying to further education, apprenticeships or employment. Were pupils given extra support in their exams because of Covid-19? Most pupils who took their GCSE exams this summer were in Year 6 when schools closed after the national lockdown in 2020. Exam aids have been given to GCSE pupils in England in mathematics, physics and combined science since 2022 to limit the impact of Covid-19 on learning. In October, the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson asked regulator Ofqual to continue providing formulae and equation sheets to GCSE pupils in these subjects in 2025, 2026 and 2027. What can students do if they are not happy with their results? Pupils are advised to speak to their preferred school or college to see if they can be flexible on entry requirements if they have just missed the grades. In England, if a student is unhappy with their grade they can also ask their school or college to request that the exam board review the marking. If there are still concerns after the review, the student can ask their school or college to appeal against the result. Students can also choose to resit any GCSE exam in the summer of the following academic year if they are unhappy with their results. But students can retake English language and maths GCSEs from this autumn. In England, it is a requirement for students who do not secure at least a grade 4 in English language and/or maths GCSE to retake the subjects during post-16 education. Students are funded to retake maths and/or English until they achieve a GCSE grade 9 to 4. For students with a grade 2 or below, they can either study towards a pass in functional skills level 2 or towards a GCSE grade 9 to 4.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
GCSE cohort receiving results ‘undoubtedly affected by Covid disruption'
Teenagers who moved from primary to secondary school in the middle of the pandemic are waking up to their GCSE results, with more than one in five entries expected to score the top grades. Pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving GCSE and level 2 vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) grades to help them progress on to sixth form, college or training. Teenagers could face more competition for sixth form places this summer, it has been suggested. Last year, more than a fifth (21.8%) of UK GCSE entries were awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade, down from 22.0% in 2023. But it remained higher than in 2019 – the year before the Covid-19 pandemic – when 20.8% of UK GCSE entries scored the top grades. In England, Ofqual brought GCSE grading standards back in line with pre-Covid levels in 2023, and exam regulators in Wales and Northern Ireland returned to pre-pandemic grading last year. The move came after Covid-19 led to an increase in top GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham, has suggested that the proportion of GCSE entries scoring the top grades this summer could be similar to last year but remain higher than in 2019. Last week, the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades surpassed pre-pandemic highs. This summer, more than 95,000 pupils in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will receive their results using an app as part of a Government pilot. The Education Record, which will bring pupils' GCSE exam results and certificates into one app, aims to help young people when applying to further education, apprenticeships or employment. Many of the pupils who are receiving their GCSE results this summer were in Year 6 when schools closed because of the pandemic. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said this cohort of students – who moved from primary to secondary school in the middle of the pandemic – had shown 'remarkable resilience' despite the disruption to their education. Education leaders warned they had faced a series of challenges – including school attendance issues and cost-of-living pressures. There has been a rise in requests from young people who want extra time in their exams – and who want to sit in rooms away from the main exam hall – since the pandemic, it has been suggested. Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), told the PA news agency: 'I think we're going to go on experiencing the negative impact of Covid-19 and the cost-of-living situation for a number of years still.' He added that there are more young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) which 'makes it difficult' for schools and colleges to accommodate all their needs. Colleges have been faced with 'large numbers' of students who are calling for their own room, invigilator, and extra time to do exams, Mr Watkin said. He added: 'It's very difficult to provide for all of them. 'There just aren't enough rooms or enough invigilators and that's not going to get easier anytime in the immediate future.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'This cohort of GCSE students have undoubtedly been affected by the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic earlier in their education. 'It is likely that the impact will have been particularly severe on those students from disadvantaged backgrounds.' He added: 'Schools have moved heaven and earth to support all their students, but the previous government did not put enough focus or investment into educational recovery. 'We are likely to see inequities in GCSE outcomes between regions and different groups of students.' Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, has called for a national corps of undergraduate tutors to help pupils improve their literacy and numeracy in school. He told PA: 'Every August we accept a grand illusion that GCSEs are a level playing field. 'In reality, they are a mirror of the deeply divided society we've created, a measure of how much extra support students receive as much as their academic capability.' He added: 'Stark socio-economic divides in GCSE results are a legacy of the Covid disruption and the crisis in school absenteeism which threaten to scar a whole generation.' Prof Elliot Major has suggested competition for the most selective sixth forms will be 'fiercer than ever' this year as more families may seek out state sector places after the VAT change on private school fees introduced in January. Meanwhile, Mr Watkin said he expected sixth form college admissions to become 'more competitive' because of a rising 16-year-old population. The Government launched a review of curriculum and assessment in schools and colleges in July last year. The independent review is expected to consider whether there are opportunities 'to reduce the overall volume of assessment' at GCSE. Ahead of the final report from the review, which is due in the autumn, headteachers' unions have called for the burden of assessment to be reduced at GCSE to alleviate some of the pressures on young people. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said: 'The volume of content, the reliance on final exams, and the average of 30+ hours of exams per student at the end of key stage 4 are all excessive and unnecessary. 'We must move away from an almost exclusive reliance on fully linear, terminal exams, and instead allow modular assessments and reintroduce more non-exam assessment and project-based assessments, in order to complement exams and better assess what students know and can do.' Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'These young people moved from primary to secondary school right in the midst of the pandemic, showing remarkable resilience despite the disruption to those crucial years of education. 'Their options now are better than ever, whether it's A-levels, T-levels, or an apprenticeship. 'While it's a moment to celebrate, today's results will expose the inequalities that are entrenched in our education system. 'Too many young people continue to have their life chances defined by their background and where they live, and while we are beginning to see promising signs in critical areas like attendance and teacher recruitment, I am absolutely determined to deliver on our Plan for Change and truly break the link between background and success once and for all.' Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator at Ofqual, said: 'Results day is an important milestone for students. 'While there will inevitably be nerves as students receive their results, they should be proud of their achievements and can be confident that their grades will be widely recognised by employers, schools and colleges. 'Today's grades will open up opportunities for students as they move on to their next stage.'
