For bereaved friends and relatives, memorial benches are a touching way to remember the dearly departed.

For one National Trust boss, they are “graveyards” that sully Britain’s beauty spots and make visitors feel awkward about sitting down.

Charles Alluto, chief executive of the National Trust for Jersey, said his favourite headland on the island is blighted by the benches that face St Brelade’s Bay, Le Hocq, Green Island and Archirondel.

“It’s having an adverse impact on an area of natural beauty. The benches are put in places where people enjoyed that natural beauty, but you’re undermining the place they actually enjoyed. It is absolutely crucial that they do not become graveyards.

“If there are too many we run the risk of undermining that concept and changing the character of the area,” he said.

“We only have a certain amount of land to play with. That’s why it’s become such an issue here on Jersey.

“We’re all going to die one day, and that’s not going to stop. You’ll have this perpetual requirement for memorial benches,” said Mr Alluto, who suggested allotted time spans after which time one family’s memorial can be replaced by another.