8:00pm Friday 30th July 2010
By Neil Docking
CATHEDRAL leaders have called for teenagers to find somewhere else to congregate after a tree was vandalised in the grounds.
The incident today is described as the latest incident of anti-social behaviour at Blackburn Cathedral.
Church leaders revealed they have considered banning youths from the grounds, but feel that would send the wrong message.
Instead, they have asked youngsters if the area, which contains several tombs, is the ‘most appropriate place for them to be’.
A large branch was discovered torn off the beech tree, which is at least a hundred years old and provides a canopy for a tomb, this morning.
Canon Andrew Hindley said the damage showed disrespect to the many people buried beneath the cathedral’s grounds since medieval times.
Canon Hindley said: “This is an ancient burial ground.
“Underneath here are buried the people of Blackburn, all our forebears.
“Really the place is not being treated with the respect it should be.
"We do find trees with damage on the site, but this is the first major damage.
“I will refer it to the police. This is totally unacceptable.”
Canon Hindley said Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council had to clear up ‘huge amounts of litter’ in the cathedral grounds every year.
He said: “We have considered restricting youths from the grounds, but we think it would be impossible to police, and we don’t want to give the impression the church isn’t for young people.
“I do understand that young people need somewhere to go, but we need to ask is this the most appropriate place for them to be?
“We find it increasingly difficult to manage their behaviour.
“It’s very disappointing.
“Large numbers of young people in the grounds, however well behaved, can deter people from coming to the cathedral.
“On the whole when we engage with young people they are not rude to us, they just don’t seem to have a concept of how they should behave.
"We expect a higher standard of behaviour.
“We will be working with the police and the borough council to try and manage these issues further.”
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