UK Garden Begs People to Stop Throwing Human Remains After Someone Got a Mouthful of Ashes

A garden in England is asking mourners to stop scattering ashes.

Friends of Sunny Corner, a volunteer group that has been tending to a stretch of the River Truro in Cornwall, England, since 2016, has issued a public plea to those hoping to scatter human remains on their picturesque property.

Paul Caruana, chairman of the organization, told SWNS there have been 15 recent cases of scattered ashes in their area.

Even worse, one volunteer accidentally swallowed some of the remains that blew into his face.

“When you got a mouthful of human ashes it is quite distressing and it just happens to far too regularly,” said Caruana.

That incident spurred the Friends of Sunny Corner to put out their public plea. The group has previously received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for their beautification efforts.

garden volunteers issued a statement after one volunteer had AShes blow into their mouth

“Despite numerous requests not to spread human ashes across our flower beds, we arrived today (Tuesday, February 4) to find a large area covered in them,” they wrote.

“Two things need to be considered. Firstly, it is illegal to spread ashes on the ground without the appropriate permission to do so,” the Friends noted. “Secondly, and even more importantly, our volunteer gardeners get really upset having to handle human remains.”

Caruna admitted that the area is a beautiful spot. He offered an alternative to anyone wishing to scatter personal remains close by.

“Put them in the sea or river — which is five meters away,” he urged.

Scattering ashes is “generally legal in the UK with permission from the land holder, as long as environmental rules are followed,” SWNS noted.

Richard Budge, a parks and amenities and facilities officer for Truro City Council, said those hoping to scatter remains at Sunny Corner “need to contact us and apply.”

“If you spread human ashes it can be distressing for those who come across the remains,” he added in an interview with a local newspaper.