Grieving woman distraught after deer ate flowers left on grave

A grieving woman was left “distraught” after discovering that hundreds of pounds worth of family flowers left at her mother’s grave had been eaten by deer. Carolyn Johnstone, of Inverness, paid £400 for an arrangement of wreaths and bouquets to be laid beside the grave of Elizabeth MacLean (nee Mackenzie) at the city’s Tomnahurich Cemetery. The 52-year-old had wanted to take a photograph of the floral tribute after the burial last Friday but it was getting dark.



She returned on Tuesday to take the picture and was “gobsmacked” by what she saw. Miss Johnstone claims she was never made aware of a deer problem at the site and wants to see new signage there to prevent it from happening to someone else. Her father Angus and brother Douglas are already buried at the family grave at the cemetery. Wreaths and bouquets left at the grave by friends were also destroyed by the deer. Miss Johnstone said: “I was absolutely distraught and spent the whole day in tears. One of the wreaths cost £150 and was from my son and daughter-in-law, and it was very sentimental.

“I don’t want anyone else to go through this because it’s heartbreaking. I spoke to the council and they said it was deer. I am okay with that but I think that people should be forewarned. I would like to have been notified before spending such a large amount of money. I paid out of my own pocket and I tried to make it look nice for my mother who was the last in the family grave. If I had known there were deer I would have maybe lifted the flowers and taken them home and then returned to put them back and get a photograph. Somewhere along the line, someone should have told me what might happen or there should be a sign up somewhere.”



A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately, due to the location of both Inverness Burial grounds being on the outskirts of the city, and adjacent to forests, which are the natural habitat of deer, it is a fact that wild deer do gain access to our burial grounds. Whereas we fully understand the implications that this may have, when deer eat floral tributes, regrettably there is very little that the Highland Council can do to prevent this. Deer fencing does surround Kilvean cemetery, however our burial grounds must remain open to the public. Regardless of deer fencing, gates have to remain open and therefore it would be impossible to prevent deer from gaining access at all times.”