THE company running an under-fire cemetery in Elmers End has issued an apology after its staff collected up and dumped sentimental keepsakes decorating graves.

This week, News Shopper exclusively revealed families visiting the graves of their loved ones at Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery were left angry and confused when precious ornaments, lanterns and vases went missing.

Many discovered their nostalgic trinkets mindlessly piled in the mud or in wheelbarrows.

Lots of items had been broken while others were covered in filth and grime when they were left in what looked like a dirty builder's yard.

Photos of the mess were taken by Gemma Bull whose grandfather's ashes are buried in the cemetery in Elmers End Road.

After we sent the shocking photos to Dignity - the company who runs the private crematorium - bosses issued an apology and said its staff have been retrained.

Shirley Thomas from West Wickham visits her husband Donald’s plot every Sunday and quickly noticed a glass angel was missing.

The 74-year-old said: “I am calling this the Beckenham lootings.

“It is absolutely outrageous. Our little glass angel was hacked off the tree. I found its golden wings in the mud but the angel had disappeared.”

News Shopper: BECKENHAM: Dismay as grave decorations dumped in mud

She added: “It feel like his plot has been looted.”

Most families say they were unaware staff were set to carry out a spring clean.

Talking to News Shopper in the cemetery about the way the ornaments were dumped in the mud, 72-year-old Jean Dignam from Thornton Heath said: “It reminded me of what the Germans did with all the Jewish stuff. Just throw it in one big heap.”

Faye Bird, 29, lost her mother seven years ago. She explained: “I was taken down an extremely muddy path and was told that the items had all been placed in a shed. When I saw the heap of items my heart sank.

“There has been no thought as to how sentimental a lot of these things are.”

News Shopper: Brian Sweeney, 72, from Bromley

And Vicky Francis, 58, from Beckenham, says staff “ripped out” a wooden cross and damaged her mum Lucy Spring’s headstone.

Brian Sweeney, 72, from Bromley, added: “I went into the crematorium office and had a row with the manager.”

Dignity's apology in full

A Dignity spokesman said: "Through the pages of the News Shopper we would like to apologise unreservedly to the families concerned for the way their tributes were collected.

"A letter of apology will also be sent to those families that have contacted us.

"Unfortunately, on this occasion our staff did not follow our company guidelines.

"A senior member of our management team has instructed the members of staff concerned as to how they should have carried out their duties and they will be fully retrained to ensure that this doesn’t happen again."

He added: "Signs in the gardens advised families, giving two weeks notice, that the tributes were going to be removed due to the number of complaints we had received about the number and types of tributes that were being left.

"We try to encourage families placing tributes to respect the wishes of other families that visit the memorial gardens."

Have your personal items been moved off a grave at the cemetery in Beckenham? Or maybe you have experienced the same thing elsewhere? Contact Scott Mullins on 01689 885732 or email smullins@london.newsquest.co.uk.