Rubbish dumped and items stolen from Ammanford cemetery

Ammanford Cemetery has become littered with old mattresses, beds, and wood while candles and flowers have been taken from tombs.

Carmarthenshire County Council oversees the cemetery, but the authorities have not been able to find out who is committing the crimes.

Old wood is one type of rubbish getting dumped in the cemetery. (Image: Melanie Davies)Ammanford resident Melanie Davies said: “People are dumping their rubbish in Ammanford cemetery. It’s heartbreaking to see. The bins are there for people to throw flowers in. Not their rubbish.

“It’s shocking what we see every day. Our son is buried up in the cemetery. Who ever is doing this needs to be stopped.

"There are mattresses, old beds and we even had a caravan dumped here. These people have no respect at all.

“This has been going on for a long time. The council are in charge of the cemetery, but they can’t afford to put cameras up in the graveyard.

“I just want people to know what they are doing is unacceptable. Everyone we speak to at the grave are shocked and disgusted with their behaviour.”

Melanie’s husband, Doug added: “It’s disrespectful. It can be upsetting seeing all the mess there and people dumping their stuff.

“There have been a lot of complaints. People are seeing this mess during funerals. It’s wrong that people are using the cemetery to dump rubbish.

“People are also stealing stuff like flowers and candles. The council are trying to fix this problem. But it’s the fault of these disrespectful people.”

Carmarthenshire County Council were approached for comment and Cabinet Member Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen released the following statement.

“I am appalled by this instance of fly tipping. Cemeteries are places of peace, reflection, and remembrance.

"The fly tipping of waste not only visually detracts from the natural beauty of these sites, but can have serious consequences, such as environmental damage, attracting pests, and posing safety hazards.

“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and if someone is caught, they could be fined up to £50,000 or face imprisonment.

"Council officers have removed the waste and enforcement patrols will be increased at the cemetery.

"We encourage anybody that sees someone fly tipping to report it to us via the County Council website.”

Melanie and Doug lost their son Ryan Davies in November 2016, who is buried in Ammanford Cemetery.

Ryan was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia when he was 22 and died 11 years later on his 33rd birthday.

Before his death, Ryan created a charity called Ryan4Leukaemia – an organisation dedicated to helping others suffering from cancer.

Doug, along with Ryan’s brother and 11 friends, also completed a 160 mile walk from Ammanford to Anfield over a seven-day period in memory of the Liverpool FC supporter.

Ryan Davies (left), set up the Ryan4Leukaemia charity before passing away in 2016. (Image: Newsquest)

For more information about the Ryan4Leukaemia charity, visit the Facebook page.