AN elderly couple's shrine to their beloved pets looks set to remain undisturbed after West Somerset District Council planners decided to leave their makeshift cemetery alone. There had been fears pensioners Nellie and Michael Greenslade would have to endure the heartache of seeing their pet cemetery demolished. The couple, who now live in Wellington, had lovingly tended the burial place of four of their beloved pets for at least 20 years at a shrine in a field they once owned at Elworthy Barrows, Brompton Ralph. The pair even retained access rights to the plot when they sold the land five years ago. Since then, the land has been sold again and the current owners, John and Ilana Alder, of Wiveliscombe, subsequently attracted the attentions of the council when an unauthorised mobile home was moved on to the land. Investigations by the authority uncovered the existence of both the cemetery and a timber shed used by the couple to store chairs and gardening implements needed to tend the plot. Members of the council's planning committee had originally been due to be asked to take enforcement action to remove both the shed and the mobile home and to ensure the cemetery itself was demolished. But the recommendation was withdrawn before the committee had a chance to debate the issue last month and yesterday (Thursday) the committee was instead being asked to seek the removal of just the shed and the mobile home.
