A woman has said he was "angry and upset" when she found out she was not able to put artificial flowers on her mum's grave any longer due to a change in rules.

St Andrew's Church's lawn cemetery, in Rushmere St Andrew near Ipswich, has changed its rules regarding what flowers can be put on graves.

Rushmere St Andrew Parish Council said that it included the banning of plastics, stating that over time, artificial flowers such as silk and plastic fade and decay.

This means that the residue from these is not biodegradable.

Debbie Jennings went to the cemetery on Thursday and said the area had changed so much because of the rule.

Ipswich Star: Debbie's mums grave with artificial flowers on before the rule was introducedDebbie's mums grave with artificial flowers on before the rule was introduced (Image: Submitted)

She said: "It's upsetting.

"At first I was angry, but not it upsets me when I go up.

"I don't think they have given thought to people who want to keep their mum's, dad's and children's graves looking nice.

"We can't constantly keep coming back to replenish the flowers when they inevitably die or get eaten by rabbits.

"My mum was buried in 2004, and we have never had a problem until this year when I went up and saw it and thought 'what the heck is going on?'

Ipswich Star: Debbie's mums grave with artificial flowers on before the rule was introducedDebbie's mums grave with artificial flowers on before the rule was introduced (Image: Submitted)

"It's not very nice when I go up there and graves don't have flowers on them anymore due to this, and it's horrible looking at a grave with no flowers on.

"I think it's really disrespectful to the dead and the families that want to pay their respects without having to spend £30 every other week on a new bouquet of flowers."

The parish council has also said that there has been issues with breakages of glass jars and vases and ceramics, so they are not permitted for safety reasons.

Rushmere St Andrew Parish Council has been approached for comment.