Son condemns council over maintenance of Rennington graveyard where his parents are buried

James Plenderleith said he had to wade through nettles and thistles up to knee high in order to pay his respects to his mother and father.

The 54-year-old, who lives in Rennington, near Alnwick, said he has been told Northumberland County Council is responsible for the graveyard at the village’s All Saints Church – but argues that even when workers do cut the grass, it is left untidy.

Mr Plenderleith said: “It is an absolute disgrace. I went to my parents’ grave the other day and I was wading through up to my knees in nettles and thistles.

“I’m absolutely fuming. They don’t respect the dead and they don’t respect the mourners.

“When I was younger it was kept like a bowling green. I’ve been complaining about this for two years.

“If they do cut it, they leave it in a mess.”

James’ mother Sybella Plenderleith died in 2017 at the age of 78, while his father Archie died in August 2021 at the age of 83. James says their deaths are “still raw” and the state of the graveyard “does not help”.

He added: “It is really hurtful when you go and see the state of the churchyard.”

On Tuesday, the churchyard was freshly cut by the county council.

A council spokesman said: “As a council we take pride in the cemeteries and graveyards we maintain. Rennington Churchyard is maintained by the county council and most areas of grass in the churchyard are cut between 10 and 13 times each grass cutting season.

“Some areas are cut on a lower frequency to support wildflower growth and improve biodiversity, but this does not prevent safe access to these graves.”

But Mr Plenderleith said: “They have cut it this week but it was a rough cut. One of the headstones hasn’t even had nettles removed.

“They don’t do it properly, they just do a half-job. It just looks disgusting. They could use a selective weed killer to get rid of the nettles and thistles and leave the grass and it would look better.

“The churchyards at Embleton and Rock are very tidy. They just don’t seem to care about Rennington.”