MORE than 1,300 people have signed a petition calling on Basildon Council to abandon controversial plans to limit grave lengths in cemeteries.

The petition also urges a vote of no confidence in leading Tory councillor Tony Hedley, who is in charge of cemeteries and oversaw the regulation changes.

Council chiefs have ordered mourners to remove ornaments, wind chimes and candles and cut back 6ft graves to 3ft.

The council says if they refuse, it will do the work and bill them.

Ann Law, 65, from Cheshunts, Pitsea, said: "We wanted to get more than 1,000 names. It will be handed to Mr Hedley, the council and John Baron MP, who has so far said he cannot get involved.

"We even wrote to David Cameron, who said the same. We included the sports village in Gloucester Park in the petition, because that has also been Mr Hedley's pet project, and it is as much a protest against him as the changes he has introduced at the cemetery."

The petition states: "We protest against the said councillor telling us we have to cut all our graves back, even though his department is happy enough to charge us for a double or triple 6ft grave on a 99-year lease."

Lorraine Ellis, 47, from Chelmsford, is angry the grave of her father Alan, who lived in Laindon West, will have to be altered. She said: "My mother takes great care down there, changing the flowers, and keeping the grave nice.

"She won't be able to do that if it is grassed over." The council says the changes are actually relaxations of earlier, stricter rules, which were never enforced.

It says enforcement is needed on health and safety grounds to ensure grass cutters can get between headstones.

Mr Hedley said: "I understand the protestors' concerns, but the changes have gone through the proper process and I cannot comment further than that."

Council leader Malcolm Buckley said: "As far as I am concerned there will be no votes of confidence in any members.

"You will find with an issue like this there will always be opposition, regardless of the decision."

Mr Baron refuted not getting involved.

He said: "It is a council issue, but I have done all I can, including forwarding the petition to the council, trying to arrange a meeting and asking for a simplified version of the cemetery regulations."