A fuming Paisley newsagent has turned to people power in a bid to force Renfrewshire Council into action over "disgraceful" Hawkhead Cemetery.
Des Barr wants the site, which houses the graves of his parents and other family members, upgraded desperately.
He says his concerns have been echoed by other visitors to the crumbling cemetery and he now hopes to set up a campaign group to exert pressure on the inert local authority.
Outraged Des says work needs to be carried out urgently to address a string of issues at the Paisley site, including:
* a growing number of potholes on pavements and roads
*crumbling pathways now covered in moss
*unkempt grass and
*piles of dead leaves left to cluster throughout the cemetery since last year.
The 61-year-old also wants action over the council's decision to "topple" ageing gravestones at cemeteries such as Hawkhead and lay them flat - we told yesterday how the authority claimed it would "sensitively preserve" memorials gravestones of children killed in the 1929 Glen Cinema tragedy, which have also fallen foul of the practice.
Now Des wants to see families - who were not notified about the council's plans - and who have been affected by the safety measure which the council claim is in line with Scottish Government guidelines, told what will be done with once-treasured markers left lying flat on the ground.
Desmond said: "We’re certainly not criticising the cemetery staff because there are so few of them and they are fighting a losing battle trying to keep the cemetery tidy.
"The state the cemetery is in just now is disrespectful to the people who are buried there – they may be gone, but they are certainly not forgotten."
Don't miss the latest headlines from around Renfrewshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
He added: "It is a place that brings many emotions to the surface, but the last thing people should feel is anger, disappointment or disgust at the neglected and untidy state of the final resting place of their departed family.
"Sadly, the cemetery looks extremely neglected and even vandalised the way the council has gone about toppling headstones because they say they are following Scottish Government guidelines and headstones are in a dangerous state.
"Everyone buried at Hawkhead were once part of the community and were dearly loved by family and friends. The state of the cemetery doesn’t reflect this.”
Des told the Express: “I regularly visit my mum and dad’s grave and people I talk to who are also visiting the cemetery are all saying the same thing – that it’s in a disgraceful state and something needs to be done about it.
"One lady said to me that her mum, who is buried at Hawkhead, was very house proud and always kept her home meticulously neat and tidy and her mum would be affronted to think that her final resting place was in such a state."
He now hopes the creation of a Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery pressure group will offer a voice to the community and represent the families of the people buried there.
Des added: “I want to find out if there are others who share my concerns and want the council to make the cemetery a more presentable and proper place where we can remember and pay our respects to our relatives who have passed on.
“A Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery group would find out what concerns people have, what improvements are needed, then make representations to Renfrewshire Council and campaign to get something done to improve the state of the cemetery.
"If there are enough people interested, then I would be willing to take the next steps in setting up a Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery group and organise a meeting to bring everyone together."
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council defended the actions of the authority, saying: "We are very mindful of the importance of our cemeteries to local communities and are committed to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for visitors.
"Inspections are carried out on a regular basis and we aim to ensure any issues not picked up by our ongoing maintenance are dealt with as soon as we can. An additional £100k of investment is already planned for local cemeteries over the next year."
The spokesperson added: "We already successfully work with a wide range of community groups across Renfrewshire who have an interest in particular parks or locations, and would be happy to talk to any group or individuals who are interested in helping us improve Hawkhead Cemetery.
"In terms of some gravestones being laid flat, this is required under Scottish Government guidance to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. While it isn’t possible to contact every lair holder in advance of inspections, we encourage them to contact us to make sure their memorials meet the safety standards."
Download the FREE Renfrewshire Live app now for all the latest news, features and sport in your area. Available on both Android and Apple. Download here:smarturl.it/RenfrewLiveSocial
