Beautiful or disgraceful? Weymouth cemetery debate

Photos taken at the Melcombe Regis cemetery in Weymouth show grass and wild flowers almost covering some of the gravestones on part of the site.

The top part of the site, off Longcroft Lane, has been cut back but the lower part of the cemetery is very overgrown.

Weymouth Town Council has stated that recent wet and warm weather has led to excessive grass growth. (Image: NQ)

Lisa Smith said she had relatives buried there and described its current state as a “disgrace.”

Weymouth Town Council has stated that while it is working to increase biodiversity at the cemetery, recent wet and warm weather has led to excessive grass growth.

Lisa said: “It’s a disgrace, it’s so upsetting trying to find our loved ones’ graves. I’m all for nature but this is just damn right lazy, please just cut our cemeteries it’s not fair.

“I had family come from London to stay we went to the cemetery where my mum is laid to rest it was awful and embarrassing. Disgrace.”

Grass is show to be almost covering some of the gravestones at Melcombe Regis cemetery (Image: NQ)

Other locals have stressed the importance in allowing fields to grow to boosting biodiversity and wildlife, with one describing the cemetery site as “beautiful” and another commenting on the “diversity of wildflowers” at the site.

Val Hicks said: "It's beautiful. I love the diversity of wild flowers and wildlife around our "overgrown" cemeteries.

"I think many more people and wildlife enjoy the flower meadows than go spasmodically to visit the graves and complain about the lack of upkeep." 

Another Weymouth resident, Sue Pitman, believes there should be a compromise to show respect for those laid to rest while also letting nature thrive.

She said: “Families do need to have access but also there are some wonderful wild flowers. A compromise might be to have a path to walk through but still leave enough for the wildlife.

“I walk there most days and it's been wonderful with the different flowers coming up and listening to the bird song.”

Some residents have said the overgrowth is great for boosting wildlife (Image: NQ)

A spokesperson for Weymouth Town Council said: "We are in the process of getting Melcombe Regis cemetery grass cut.

“We are trying to manage the grass of cemeteries to increase biodiversity but with the recent wet spell and now the weather being warm this has led to excessive growth.

“We are aware of the issue and are trying our best to keep up with it and to get it sorted as quickly as we can.”