State of Bromsgrove memorial garden 'disrespectful' sister claims (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

State of Bromsgrove memorial garden 'disrespectful' sister claims

4:20pm Monday 8th October 2012 in News By Sam Greenway

THE sister of Andrew Brookes, the Bromsgrove man killed in the Hillsborough disaster, has described the state of a Sidemoor memorial garden for him as disrespectful.

Mr Brookes was 26 years old when he died at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, held at Hillsborough Stadium.

The Advertiser reported last month how the Brookes family learned that Mr Brookes was one of 41 people who could have been saved, and Mr Brookes was one of those checked by officers using the Police National Computer.

A year after the 1989 disaster shocked neighbours of the family came together to set up the garden in his memory, in a green space surrounding their York Close homes.

The residents worked with the council to set up the garden, which maintained it until it was taken on by Bromsgrove District Housing Trust (BDHT) when it was formed in 2004.

Louise Brookes, Andrew’s sister, said the maintenance has always been brilliant.

But, she said, in the last year standards had been allowed to slip, and the garden was now in a poor state.

“We never had any complaints before (on maintenance) but in the last year it has become overgrown,” she said.

“There is a memorial plaque for Andrew, but the bushes are so overgrown people can’t even find it.

“I haven’t seen anybody come out and prune the bushes.

“I know they are trying to save money - but it is really disrespectful.“

Alan Williams, environmental services manager, said: “The garden is on our maintenance schedule but due to the weather we have experienced, it has grown quicker than expected.

“We will ensure a member of our grounds maintenance team tends to the garden with immediate effect to restore its original state.”