Horses trample across graves and eat floral tributes at Leicestershire cemetery
Families who arrived at a cemetery to pay their respects to loved ones found horses had apparently been let loose, trampled across graves and eaten floral tributes.
Distraught visitors to Groby cemetery had to usher the five animals away from the resting places of their loved ones.
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Horses seen grazing in Groby cemetery
Yesterday Groby Parish Council issued a press release which blamed the incident on travellers and said that mourners had been left "shocked" and "incensed".
Among the mourners were 20 friends and family of Natasha Jackson, known as Tasha, who died in a car crash on the A46 on Christmas Day in 2008. They were at the cemetery on Tuesday to mark what would have been her 23rd birthday.
As well as lighting candles, saying prayers and leaving heartfelt messages for Tasha, her friends were having to shoo the horses away from her grave and other plots.
Colin Jackson, Tasha's father, of Groby, said they were "shocked" by what was happening.
He said: "The horses kept coming over to us and we were having to usher them away from Tasha's grave and from other graves too.
"They didn't get near Tasha's grave but they started to eat some of the flowers on another grave.
"Some of Tasha's friends were frightened – these were big horses and they could have easily knocked over gravestones if they got too close. It felt like some kind of practical joke."
The parish council said it believed the horses were let into the cemetery through a gate by travellers so they could graze, before someone locked the gate behind them so they were unable to get out.
In the statement the council said this year it fenced off fields it owns in the area after it previously had problems with travellers allowing horses to roam.
A statement said: "When parish council chairman Councillor Peter Batty arrived at the cemetery he was horrified to find five travellers' horses roaming freely among graves, feeding on the floral tributes.
"Councillor Batty, whose parents are laid to rest in the cemetery was joined by incensed family and friends whose loved ones are laid to rest in the cemetery."
Later, he told the Mercury: "At the height of it there were four or five families there – about 40 people – witnessing what was happening.
"I saw some of Natasha Jackson's friends in tears."
Alfie Kefford, of the Leicestershire Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Group, warned against assuming the horses belonged to travellers.
He said: "These could be anyone's horses – they don't have to belong to travellers.
"It's not like they had a signs on their heads saying 'Gypsy horses'."
It is understood the horses were in the cemetery for about four hours until their owners turned up.
Councillor Keith Yarwood, chairman of the parks and cemetery committee said he understood the owners apologised to families as they led the animals away.
He said: "I think this was absolutely deplorable. You can see hoof marks going across the graves. We need to establish who owns these horses and why this happened."
10 Comments
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by steve, leicester
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:13AM
“"These could be anyones horses" is he for real, an apology would of gone some way. it is a disgusting deplorable thing to do, they didnt get there by accident, they were let in through a gate. my mother in law is buried there and this has caused a great deal of distress as im sure it has for others.
no wonder these people are hated, they have no respect for anyone or anything, maybe this alfie kefford would like to come down to the cemetery and meet with relatives? i think not.”
by Terry Ratcliffe, QLD. Australia
Thursday, September 02 2010, 11:01PM
“Gypsy's have alway's been a sauce of trouble for as long as I can remember 50 years plus.If the do gooders of the world we'nt so thick in seeing the problem with them and putting up with their crap we wouldn't have the problems we're having.”
by Rich, Leicestershire
Thursday, September 02 2010, 2:36PM
“Whist Mr Kefford is correct there is no 'sign above their head' he yet again refuses to even entertain the idea that travellers might have been involved...... like Matt has said, sometimes an apology goes a long way...... will be intresting to see if they do confirm they are traveller horses will Mr Kefford come out an apologise on their behalf? I think not,
Not long ago in bagworth there was a biker killed when a stray horse jumped into the road”
by MrA, leics
Thursday, September 02 2010, 2:33PM
“Of course they are traveller's horses,
Goodness, how many responsible horse owners tether their animals to any piece of spare verge ?.,..
They'll be saying next that the piles of filth, human excrement and assorted old LPG bottles left on the vacated sites " could have been left by anyone"
This is a disgrace, and everyone's sympathies should go out to the bereaved.”
by Malc, Leicester
Thursday, September 02 2010, 1:22PM
“These are almost certainly the same horses that are allowed to roam each year around the area of Ratby & Groby at this time. Last year they trampled through all the front gardens of the area I live in. You could here them roaming along the footpaths during the night as well. It is well known that the travellers let them loose.”