A WIDOW has been left heartbroken at a church's decision to ban her from leaving plastic flowers at her husband's final resting place.

Margaret Hemming said St Peter's Church in Powick, Worcester, cares more about a best-kept churchyard competition than her feelings.

Mrs Hemming and her children have visited every fortnight to lay fresh flowers and clean a memorial stone at husband Douglas's grave since he died two years ago, aged 76.

They also leave plastic flowers so when the fresh ones die, there is still some colour remaining on the stone.

The family were shocked to find out the church has banned plastic flowers, branding them untidy and disrespectful to the dead.

They have also said they are horrified to hear volunteers may remove plastic flowers from graves.

Mrs Hemming, aged 74, of Bedwardine Road, St John's, Worcester, said: "To think about it and my poor husband - it broke my heart."

Her daughter Shirley Clayton, also from St John's, said: "My mother is so upset about this. At least the plastic flowers mean he's got something on there that looks pretty if we think we won't be able to make it for another week."

Her brother Michael Hemming, of Canal Drive, Barbourne, Worcester, said the family had bought the plot and should be allowed to put whatever they wanted on it.

"If they start taking flowers off the grave there's going to be hell to pay," he said.

The best-kept churchyard competition lists tidiness and the absence of litter and dead flowers from graves as key requirements.

Church vicar Rev Sue Irwin said: "We're very sorry for any distress that the decision has caused for the families but it's important to the Powick church committee that the churchyard is kept looking at its best for all who use it.

"It is only plastic flowers rather than any other type of artificial flowers that are not allowed. I'm more than happy to talk to anyone who has any concerns to discuss options."

You tell us what you think about fake flowersTHE ban on plastic flowers has provoked much debate on our website.

One reader, who calls himself Turkey Neck, asked how plastic flowers could be disrespectful to the dead? He said mourners who were unable to visit the graves very often liked them.

Jo from Droitwich said: "Dead flowers on graves look far worse than artificial ones. As long as the graves look clean and tidy surely that's what matters to the church, the mourners and the people who have passed away."

But Jim Evans said he agreed with the church that artificial flowers faded in the sun and said even new ones could look tacky.

"Be grateful the vicar cares about the overall appearance of the churchyard," said Mr Evans.

He said he would be having a woodland burial and would want a tree planted but no flowers.

Barbara, from Worcester, said people didn't like being dictated to and on a recent holiday in Croatia, most of the graves had plastic flowers because of the heat.

"Very few had fresh flowers and those that had died looked dreadful. We would all love to be able to buy fresh flowers in memory of a loved one, sometimes it just isn't possible," she said.

A reader calling themselves Flower Lover, from Malvern, said people should not waste money on flowers and would prefer to see flowers planted, rather than cut, on the graves.