Mourners in a Moray village are battling to keep deer from eating the flowers laid at their loved ones’ graves.
People with relatives buried at Mortlach cemetery in Dufftown are growing increasingly exasperated by the animals repeatedly ruining floral tributes.
Often, bereaved locals returning to the graves of the recently departed just hours after a funeral have been devastated to see freshly-laid flowers left in ruins.
Some residents have now called for Moray Council to take tougher action to keep the deer at bay.
And one local florist, Morag Ross, has gone above and beyond the call of duty by investigating the matter on behalf of her customers.
Miss Ross took over the Rustic and Roses shop on Fife Street last year and has noticed a worrying trend emerge since then.
She said: “Being the local florist, people come in and tell us with disappointment that flowers bought from us have been eaten, sometimes on the day they have been put down.
“It is very upsetting, and it costs a lot of money.
“We are a very close-knit community and many customers are our friends, so we want to do what we can to help.
“We have been monitoring things, as my mum and dad are buried at Mortlach, and we have been checking to see whether flowers laid at their graves have lasted or not.”
Miss Ross recently consulted florists nationwide on how to address the problem and has started using a special spray which is known to deter rabbits from eating flowers.
The florist added that other villagers have suggested daffodils are a good choice to lay at graves, as deer appear not to favour them.
She said: “There is constant feedback on what they are eating and not eating and we have some optimism that they are going higher into the hills now the weather is warmer.”
A spokeswoman for Moray Council last night confirmed that requests for cages to protect floral tributes can be made through funeral directors.
She added: “The tranquil countryside settings of many of our cemeteries means wildlife can often be found in the surroundings of them – and within the cemeteries themselves.”