Kidlington baby grave petition gets 2,800 signatures Published duration 29 January 2015

media caption The grave has bright pink gravel, toys and a low wooden fence

A grieving mother has started a petition after being told to remove the decorations from her daughter's grave in Oxfordshire.

Jade Beadle has been told to remove everything except the headstone from her stillborn daughter, Tanya's grave in Kidlington cemetery.

An online petition calling for parents to be allowed to decorate graves has attracted more than 2,800 signatures.

Kidlington Parish Council said the items were "not pleasing to everybody".

The council said its rules state that no items such as pot plants, toys, statues or solar lights were permitted on graves.

image copyright Jade Beadle image caption Ms Beadle has been told to clear the gravestone

The council said the ornaments also made maintenance difficult.

'Ridiculous'

Ms Beadle said: "The rules are ridiculous - it's a heartless thing to ask anybody to do.

"She's not here, for birthdays and Christmases - all I have left is to buy her a new ornament for her grave, I feel we should be allowed to do that."

Council chairman David Betts said: "We have to have a consistent approach.

"Different people have different tastes about what they want to see on their grave. It's not pleasing to everybody."

Mr Betts said he "did not anticipate" the council changing its rules.

Related Topics Kidlington