A family is calling for an urgent rule change after their last reminder of their mum could be "taken away".
Anita Woodfield bravely battled ovarian cancer for over four years and "never let it beat her". But despite going to a hospice for pain relief on March 9 last year, she "never came home" and tragically died on March 26 at the age of 58.
It was Anita's one wish to not have a grave, but instead a bench in her favourite park in Meols, Queens Park, so she would always be there and her loved ones had a place to remember her fondly. Anita's family carried out that wish and a memorial bench was purchased and placed in the park last October.
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Daughter Aimee Harding said they attached small flowers to the bench and a tribute plaque along with a photograph of their mum, who was well-known in the area. But despite "many lovely comments", in the run up to her anniversary, the family now face the flowers and plaque being removed after someone complained it "looked like Landican cemetery".
Aimee told the ECHO: "She only ever wanted this bench to watch Nylah, my daughter, play and so we could have somewhere to sit and think of her fondly instead of being in a graveyard and we were able to fulfil those wishes. We attached those flowers to the bench in a nice way, to the rear, not obstructing anyone, it's not offensive.
"We wanted a photo because she was well known and many people would recognise her, we didn't think it would be a problem. People have even left notes about how touched they are so we were surprised to hear one person had complained to the council saying it ruined the park."
Aimee said this bench was the only memorial they have for their mum, and would understand if the flowers were "left to rot", but they are replaced regularly. She has now launched a petition for a rule change "within reason" to allow for small floral arrangements to be left at the bench.
She added: "We want a change so that anyone can leave flowers for their loved ones. We don't have a grave or anywhere else to go, my mum only wanted a bench here in the park. It's so important to have that place."
Paying a heart-warming tribute to her mum, Aimee said: "She was well-known around Hoylake and Meols and had so much time for everyone.
"Everyone was so upset when she died. She'd stop and chat to everyone, and she loved this park. She'd always take Nyla to play and walk her dog, it was her favourite place.
"She was the most special person, the kindest soul you'd ever meet, she was incredible. She was my best friend, not just my mum."
"For us, this is the only place we can go and be with my mum. She loved flowers, she did floristry as a hobby which gave her so much happiness so for me, it's so important to have them on her bench.
"My daughter was devastated and it's a big thing for her to be able to have this bench and understand it's her special place as well, and know her nanny is there. It's somewhere we can collectively go as a family for special celebrations like birthdays."
The family have been told to remove the flowers and the plaque by March 31 or they will be removed by the council. Aimee said: "My dad died when I was 19 and we don't have anywhere to go for him, it's horrible but it was his wish so it's important we have that for my mum, she is somewhere she loved and in my heart, she's watching my daughter play.
"All I'm asking for is a slight rule change within reason for just a couple of small floral arrangements that are maintained, if not, the council can remove them. I understand no-one wants dead flowers left but otherwise I can't see a problem. New Brighton is full of brightly painted benches.
"I can't see how it's offensive, when there's been a car crash, people leave flowers on a lamppost. It's awful to think someone felt this was so upsetting that they had to get it taken away."
Anita leaves behind her loving children Aimee, Elliot and Josh, husband Mark, mum Judith, granddaughter Nylah and many friends and loved ones. The petition can be found here.
A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: "When families contact us to ask for a memorial bench to remember a loved one, we always try our best to accommodate their choice of location and position as we know how important these are.
"There is a range of different types of memorial for families to choose, such as vases, tablets and vaults within the borough's gardens of remembrance, or in a park they can choose a memorial tree with plaque or a bird and bat box as well as a memorial bench.
"While we will always try to be considerate when flowers are placed by them, we do make it clear when people choose a bench that any permanent additions to these memorials in our parks are not permitted so that the style of bench and plaque is consistent and appropriate to the surroundings and the bench can be maintained."
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