MOURNERS with family and friends buried at Wharton Cemetery are being told that they must remove festive tributes by next week.

Cheshire West and Cheshire Council has requested that visitors and grave owners remove these tributes to allow ongoing maintenance of the cemeteries and crematoriums managed by the council.

Cemetery workers will begin removing these tributes on Monday, February 19.

Anyone wishing to collect their tributes must do so by this time.

Cllr Karen Shore, the council’s member for the environment, said: “The council understands the removal of Christmas tributes is extremely sensitive and this is why grave owners and visitors are being given early notice, so that they may remove their own Christmas tribute should they wish.”

The council has added that any wreaths from private church yards will not be removed.