Tweedmouth: Colony of badgers roam cemetery

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A man visiting his family’s grave at Yardley Cemetery, Birmingham, was left shocked after spotting human remains scattered over open ground. The man then contacted his local MP Jess Phillips to complain, in the latest grim discovery caused by badgers at the graveyard.

Michael Saunders, 62, whose family’s grave is at Yardley, described discovering bones above ground as distressing.

The Solihull College teacher is so concerned about future disturbances, he will not place his mother’s ashes, who died three months ago, in the family grave.

He said: “It is horrendous. I brought the problem to light a year ago, but it’s now gone to another level.

“The badgers have now dug down so deep they are rooting up the bones. There are bones scattered on the ground, joints even.

“Obviously, the coffins have degraded, but they are getting to the bones.”

Speaking to Birmingham Live, Mr Saunders said the “appalling” scenes need to be addressed.

He told the outlet: “It is very distressing. I’d like the sett to be re-located.

“The cemetery staff are aware of this and I’ve contacted my local MP Jess Phillips.”

There is more than one sett at the cemetery, although the largest is close to the adjoining crematorium.

As the badger population has grown, mourners’ concern over the damage caused has increased.

But as badgers are strictly protected by law, their homes cannot be disturbed unless the circumstances are exceptional.

Birmingham City Council confirmed badgers had caused “significant damage” to part of the 64-acre site, which was at risk of ground collapse.

Earlier in 2021, the Birmingham Mail reported graves were caving in at the cemetery.

Gillian Evans, who spoke to the Birmingham Mail earlier in 2021, had her mother, father and brother are all buried at the cemetery.

She said: “Last year, our family grave was dug out by these animals. I had to get some strong wire netting and three bags of stones to stop them digging up the grave.

“I was informed at the time that a licence to get them removed had been declined and that another would be submitted at a later date.

“Clearly nothing has been done to solve the problem other than tape being put around the area.

“My family and I find this most distressing. Every time we visit the grave there seems to be more and more destruction being done by the badgers.

“The latest response I received was that nothing in the near future was going to be done about this.

“I am in absolute distress about this as I do not want to be visiting the grave and finding remains being unearthed.

“This situation needs some urgent attention before any more damage and heartbreak is suffered.”

Labour MP Ms Phillips described the situation as “grim” and expressed sympathy for the grieving families.

She said: “I feel for the council because it’s a complicated issue, but there has to be some form of resolution, there has to be some sort of natural resolution.

“Members of my own family are in that graveyard. It is harrowing for those who have witnessed this.

“I was made aware of the situation in January and at the time there was talk of erecting badger gates.

“The reality is there is very little, in law, that the council can do about the badgers.”

Additional Reporting by Mike Lockley

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