CAMPAIGNER Cheryl Downes has vowed to fight on despite losing a fresh fight to stop workers removing mementoes from graves in Torfaen.

The Thornhill mother-of-three collected 134 signatures in a bid to prevent Torfaen council from binning items remembering loved ones.

She cemented items at the Panteg grave of her disabled son Leon who died following a fit in 1992 after mementoes were removed this autumn.

But Torfaen council ruled that the policy in implements on grave personalisation should be upheld as it is currently under review.

The Labour council said in a new report that failing to do so would send “conflicting messages” and could in turn cause further “upset” and “distress”.

But Mrs Downes, 52, of Marl Court, said: “I am not going to stop.

“I am not the only one. You’ve got people who have lost babies who haven’t had a life.

“My son is probably turning in his grave.

“I’m not going to back off. It’s awful, horrible and disgusting.

“Because you put toys on graves. How ridiculous is that?

“I will take it further. I think it’s awful. I think it’s wrong.

“What a horrible Christmas present that is.”

Other grave campaigners collected more than 5,000 signatures calling on council chiefs to leave children’s graves alone this summer but the council has yet to change its policy.

They are now lobbying the Welsh Government in a bid to have a new law introduced on the personalisation of graves throughout the country.

Torfaen council stops grieving families from adorning graves with windmills, chimes and solar lights because they are seen as "disrupting the dignity and serenity of cemeteries".

Other ornaments such as glass items are also prohibited as they can break and are deemed to constitute a health and safety risk.

Details of the revised policy are expected to become available before the Christmas break.