Mother devastated after tributes to her son are removed from roadside
A grieving mother is looking for answers after tributes to her son were removed from side of the road where he died.
Emma Butler has appealed for anyone with information about the callous act to come forward, and a county councillor is also trying to find out who put up a sign saying floral tributes cannot be left on the spot.
Mrs Butler's son, Lee Ferguson, 26, from Halesowen, died when his motorcycle collided with a vehicle close to the Welshpool Golf Club entrance in Mid Wales on his way back from Barmouth, on August 3, 2019.
Since then his family have travelled from their homes in the West Midlands to lay memorial flowers to mark his birthday, Christmas, and the anniversary of the crash.
But on this occasion the flowers were taken away within a couple of days.
Last year the family were unable to travel because of Covid restrictions but after an appeal Welshpool residents rallied around and paid their respects with floral tributes.
Mrs Butler said: “My family and I think it is absolutely disgusting that someone could do this. It’s hard enough to drive to Wales to pay our respects where Lee lost his life but to know that the next day the tributes were removed is heartbreaking.”
Mrs Butler wants to know who has removed the tributes and why.
Graham Breeze, Llanerchyddol Ward Councillor on Powys County Council, said he was furious that someone had removed the flowers.
He said: “It is bad enough that someone has done this but they have also taken the trouble to erect a forged sign in the name of Powys County Council. I have removed the sign and would like whoever erected it to contact me with their reasons.
“I am furious that this has happened in my ward,” he added.
“Lee sadly left behind a fiancée, young son and a loving family. Surely they have suffered enough without someone acting in this way.”
Councillor Breeze pointed out that the road is the responsibility of the Trunk Road Agency not Powys County Council, which shows that the notice is a fake.
He said: “I have run checks with both the Trunk Road Agency and Powys County Council and it is evident that neither organisation has, or would, remove floral tributes left on a grass verge in this way.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Councillor Breeze at cllr.graham.breeze@powys.gov.uk
