A MUM whose son died suddenly while playing rounders has spoken of her anguish after losing the fight to put a Bart Simpson statue on his grave.

Eight-year-old Charlie Morettes died due to sudden cardiac death at Sutton-at-Hone Primary School, Church Road, in May last year.

Charlie's mum, Allison, and stepfather Tony Spalding planned to add the statue to his grave in the churchyard of St John the Baptist Church, Sutton-at-Hone.

But councillors from Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley Parish Council, which owns the graveyard, voted against the idea by four votes to three at a meeting on June 19.

Charlie's 34-year-old mum says she feels let down.

She said: "I feel like they have been picking over our son and speaking about him as some thing. We can't bear this behaviour to be based on our son.

"It is so upsetting. The council could have made a decision months ago. I don't even want to say my son's name any more."

Charlie's parents wanted to put up a 21-inch granite model of Bart Simpson in memory of their son because he was a big fan of popular US cartoon series The Simpsons.

The parish council originally rejected the idea, but at a meeting on April 17 members voted five to one in favour of it, subject to public consultation.

During a two-week consultation period, three written objections to the statue were submitted.

Concerns about the statue included causing offence to other users of the church and its unorthodox design would open the way for other unusual requests.

Mrs Spalding, of Cedar Drive, Sutton-at-Hone, says the parish council did not consider a petition signed by 500 people in favour of the statue.

However, parish council chairman Councillor Chris Armstrong said the petition was handed in after the consultation period had finished but it was acknowledged by councillors.

A parish council statement said: "This is a very emotionally charged issue which has placed the parish council in a very difficult position with a very hard decision to make.

"The parish council would very much welcome further discussion with a view to a compromise which will be appropriate and acceptable."

The Spaldings are now considering what to do next.

NEWS SHOPPER SAYS

ALLISON and Tony Spalding have endured every parent's worst nightmare - losing a child without the chance to say goodbye.

His mother and stepfather had a simple wish - to have his headstone decorated with a statue of Bart Simpson as Charlie was a big fan of The Simpsons.

Permission was needed from Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley Parish Council, which owns the graveyard, something which should have been a given.

But in an astonishing decision which goes against all common sense, four out of seven councillors shared the view of just three residents in rejecting the memorial.

Surely the family have gone through enough without a bunch of do-gooders dictating how they can or cannot mark their son's passing?

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