CEMETERY gardeners have been warned they face the sack after they began helping undertakers to carry coffins into burial services.

A memo has been sent out to Blackburn with Darwen's undertakers and to staff who work at Pleasington Cemetery and Crematorium pointing out the policy.

Bosses have discovered that gardeners and other council workers, sometimes dressed in overalls or jeans and shirts, have been put in awkward situations by requests to help out from undertakers.

Sometimes undertakers have asked for an extra pair of hands to help move a coffin towards a grave, but on other occasions staff have been asked to move the coffins into the chapel.

One gardener said staff felt it was hard to say no when people asked for help and the move was backed by national bereavement counselling organisation Cruse.

But a local funeral director said the move was "bureaucracy gone mad."

Peter Hunt, director of direct services, said the move was aimed at meeting modern health and safety standards and added: "This practice has actually been banned by the council since 1985 but has not been enforced.

"The new rules and regulations will reinforce the ban."

But a council spokesman said ensuring that people attending the cemetery did not get upset unnecessarily was also important.

The rules also ban the tradition of gravediggers accepting tips.

Around 1,500 people are cremated at Pleasington every year, and another 750 buried in the cemetery. The same rules will apply at Darwen Cemetery.

One gardener, who did not want to be named, said: "We've been told the rules will be enforced much more strictly than in the past and that's fair enough.

"It is hard to say no when someone asks for help with a coffin but it is not something we like doing and it does upset some families.

"Being asked to carry a coffin into the service is something we don't what to do, but what do you do if you are asked?

"At least if the undertakers have been told, we won't be put in that position again, especially if they know we will be disciplined."

Sheila Lysiuk, co-proprietor of Darwen Funeral Services with her husband Marco, said: "We have seen the memo and we are not really sure how this will work yet.

"We always take our own staff with us but sometimes we have asked the cemetery staff to assist, for example if a grave is in a particularly difficult position. It doesn't happen very often."

Peter Andrews, of Blackburn Funeral Services, said: "I find it beyond belief. It's bureaucracy gone mad.

"We usually take all our own staff, but now we won't even be able to ask for help lowering the coffin into the grave and the gravediggers won't be able to accept a tip, which is a tradition."

Annie Kiff-Wood, a volunteer at bereavement counselling organisation Cruse, said today: "A funeral has enormous symbolic significance because it is the last goodbye.

"It is the last present people give to their loved ones and as it is a final tribute people are particularly sensitive.

"They are very sensitive about what does and doesn't show respect. These rules should ensure that nothing which appears to show disrespect occurs."