A FAMILY who visited the graves of two loved ones were disgusted to find that the England flags they had left at the memorials in celebration of the World Cup had been removed.

Members of the Witts family went to Chippenham cemetery to place England flags at the headstone of Tom Reilly, who died in 2001 at the age of 25 after suffering a heart attack.

They also hung the Cross of St George on a memorial tree planted for Tom’s stepfather, Nicholas Witts, who died aged 63 in June last year after suffering multiple strokes.

The pair were both proud England supporters.

However, when the family returned a week later, they found the flags had been removed by the council.

Tom’s aunt and Nicholas’ sister, Josie Robertshaw, 62, of Ladyfield Road in Chippenham, said: “The flags were not hurting anyone at all and we just want to know why they were taken down.

“It’s so disrespectful.

“We paid for Tom and Nick to have this headstone and tree. We own it and should be able to put whatever we like on it in memory of them.

“We don’t have a problem with anything that anyone else wants to put on their loved ones’ graves.”

Andrew Beavan-Witts, 68, of Savernake Avenue in Melksham, is Tom’s uncle and Nicholas’ brother.

He said: “We just couldn’t understand why the flags were taken down.

“I’m sure that if it was a foreign flag it would not have been taken down.”

Sarah Witts, 38, of Wood Lane in Chippenham, Tom’s sister and Nicholas’ daughter, said: “We have been told several different things about why the flags were taken down.

“We were told someone complained so they [the council] had to take them down, and we have been told they were flapping about too much.

“I would understand if it was something offensive, but it really isn’t hurting anyone.

“We are in England after all. We have since put little flags back up.”

A spokesman for Chippenham Town Council, which is in charge of the cemetery, said: “We have a selection of memorial trees in the lawn section of London Road Cemetery, both of which are governed by restrictions for graveside decorations.

“We are compassionate towards family, friends and visitors who have loved ones at the cemetery, but we have to ask that all memorial decorations are discreet, in keeping with the cemetery and within the boundaries of each grave.

“Regrettably there are times when we have to remove items if they are not in keeping with the cemetery and may cause upset to other users of the cemetery.”