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A man has spoken of his family’s distress after a cross dedicated to his late father was dug out and left on his grave at Bexhill Cemetery.

Craig Willard said his aunt was approached by the cemetery officer and told the cross was ‘illegal’ and had to be moved.

He said: “When my elderly aunt was visiting my father’s grave she found his cross, that we have had there for more than 25 years, had been dug out and was now lying on his grave. She was then approached by the person in charge of the cemetery, who told her the cross was ‘illegal’ and a surrounding small area of tiny fence was also ‘illegal’ and this was going to be removed if we ‘didn’t move it’.

"Understandably upset, my aunt called some of us and explained what had happened. My aunt told the cemetery officer that my father had 11 children and one of us would be putting the cross back in, to which the officer replied ‘if they do that we will just get rid of it ourselves’.

The cross which the family said was ripped out of the ground and left dumped by the grave

"I then went up there to find my father’s grave looking like it had been vandalised with a hole in the ground and the cross just dumped on top of his grave.”

Mr Willard added that Rother District Council, which manages the cemetery, later backtracked and said the family could leave the cross there until they get a headstone made, which could take up to 20 weeks.

A council spokesperson said: “Our cemeteries officer has spoken to Mr Willard to explain that cemetery staff had laid down the temporary wooden cross, which had been at the grave for a number of years, as it had become unstable, and to apologise for any misunderstanding this may have caused.

“The wooden crosses are not designed to be permanent memorials but are used as temporary markers until a permanent memorial can be erected.

Craig Willard with his father's grave and ceramic cross in Bexhill Cemetery.

“The family have been made aware of the regulations regarding permanent memorials, including fencing, which are in place to help ensure the safety of visitors to our cemeteries and to enable grounds maintenance contractors to undertake their work efficiently and effectively.

“A permanent memorial can be installed at the grave to replace the wooden cross and we understand the family would like to do this.”

Man's distress after father's grave left 'vandalised' at Bexhill Cemetery when cross was removed