A mother has described her heartbreak after being ordered to clear ornaments and keepsakes from her daughter’s grave at St Barnabas Church, Shore.

Danielle Almond, whose baby Isla was buried there 18 years ago, said the Diocese of Manchester’s enforcement of graveyard regulations has left her devastated.

“I have only a few days to move stuff off her grave. It has come as a complete shock… If we pay for a plot we should be able to do what we want with it,” she told the Manchester Evening News.

She added: “I have considered moving her but honestly I don’t think I can… It’s heartbreaking.”

The rules, first introduced in 2019, allow only fresh flowers, meaning toys, crosses, ornaments and artificial flowers are to be removed from 7th September.

A petition opposing the decision argues it “causes unnecessary heartache and a sense of loss all over again.”

A spokesperson from the Diocese of Manchester told Premier Christian News: “We know how deeply personal it is to honour and remember loved ones, and we’re grateful to all who care for their resting places with such devotion.

"Our churchyards are shared sacred spaces, and to help preserve their peaceful and respectful character, they are governed by Churchyard Regulations set by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Manchester.

"These were introduced in 2016 and revised in 2019. Where items placed in the churchyard fall outside these regulations, our parishes are committed to handling this sensitively. Any such items will be carefully removed and stored so they can be returned to families.”