RELATIVES whose loved ones are buried in Malvern Cemetery are furious after being ordered to remove edging stones and excess flowers from their graves.

They have called the Worcester Diocese insensitive after arriving at St Matthias to find letters warning them to take items away or have them removed.

The diocese had, they claim, already removed edgings from around graves in the past without first informing families.

June Pilcher, whose son Craig died from meningitis at 16, said: "My son's been buried there for 10 years and now we have to take the stones up.

"A couple of graves were desecrated, they started taking stones up at the edgings. We all thought it was vandals but it was church volunteers."

The letter, in the name of three representatives of the church, gives "notice that we are making application to the Consistory Court of Diocese for permission to carry out the...removal of unauthorised edging."

However, Ms Pilcher said the edgings were not unauthorised.

"We were given permission by Canon John Davis (previously rector of the church) but not in writing," she said.

Brenda Burston also found a letter on husband Tony's grave.

"To leave those letters on the grave and not post them, it's horrible," she said.

Nicola Currie, Press Officer for Worcester Diocese, said the churchyard belonged to St Mathias Church and there were certain regulations, which had to be adhered to.