Residents angered by state of Irvine's Knadgerhill cemetery

Some families have even resorted to cutting the grass around the graves of loved ones themselves.

And it's not just the grass that's the problem. They claim uneven pathways, crumbling structures, and hazardous debris are putting elderly visitors at risk as they come to pay their respects to loved ones.

One woman branded state of Knadgerhill as "the ultimate disrespect to the dead."

North Ayrshire Council responded by saying the recent warm weather followed by rain had exacerbated the problems and said they were "re-evaluating schedules" with the cemetery set to be tackled by their grasscutting team soon.

Briony Johnstone, who loves close to Knadgerhill and has relatives interred there, said: "Overgrown vegetation, damaged gravestones and neglected landscapes create an atmosphere of neglect and disrespect.

"It used to be maintained beautifully with rows of flowers and manicured landscapes.

"It is so bad that in many areas, families have taken to cutting the grass and strimming the areas around their loved one’s graves themselves."

Residents complained about the mementos i.e. toys/ balloons/ lanterns/ bottles of beer being left around graves, which could be preventing grasscutting.

Briony said: "Cemeteries hold a special place in society as the final resting place of our beloved family and friends. 

"However, it is clear that Knadgerhill Cemetery is not being upheld to standards we would expect, I would go as far as to say it is cemetery negligence.

"I have lived close to this cemetery all my life and have watched it slowly decay. It used to be maintained beautifully with rows of flowers and manicured landscapes. Cemeteries should serve as a place of beauty and tranquillity, offering a serene environment for families to find comfort.

"The staff who ‘maintain’ these grounds, are making beyond minimal effort. I appreciate that this is not an easy job, made difficult by the ever growing memorabilia that many find a necessity to place around gravestones nowadays but it is appalling.

"Mementos such as toys, balloons, lanterns and bottles of beer etc etc should not be allowed to be left around the base of grave stones, allowing a clear path for grass cutting and strimming. 

"Poorly maintained cemeteries can pose safety hazards to visitors. My elderly relatives are no longer able to walk the uneven path to our beloved's grave as it is so damaged.

"Such negligence undermines the very purpose of cemeteries as places of solace and reflection and is the ultimate disrespect to the dead.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said today (Friday): “This period of weather has created perfect growing conditions for grass and existing schedules are being evaluated.

“We are expecting to cut the grass at the cemetery in the coming days.”

However Briony responded: "The council’s standpoint is very disappointing. As the grass alone is not the only issue, it’s weeds, lack of strimming, litter, broken paths and general poor  attitude to the maintenance.

"I do believe if they acted on previous rules and regulations to remove mementos not on the gravestone hearths they could make their job a lot easier to maintain."