Willy Collins: Sheffield families who couldn't leave 'even a teddy bear' on loved ones' graves protest 37-ton headstone

What is thought to be the UK’s largest headstone was unveiled in Shiregreen Cemetery last week by the family of bare-knuckle boxer ‘Big’ Willy Collins.

The 37-ton monument made of white Carrara marble features a Bluetooth operated jukebox, LED lights and two life-sized statues of Willy’s 6’2” frame.

But Sheffield families have now compared the monument to how they were denied far less extravagant decorations for their own loved ones’ graves due to council regulations.

Several pointed how they were not even allowed to leave even teddy bears, plant pots or toys on plots, which often saw them thrown away by grounds keepers.

One woman, who asked not to be named, said: “We scattered my grandad’s ashes around a tree at Hutcliffe Wood last year.

"We were never told that we weren’t allowed to put anything around the tree and there were a lot of trees around that had been decorated with little fences, photos, plants, and some even had football shirts attached to the trees.

"We brought some white pebbles, a little plaque and a vase for flowers, and a little white fence used for flower bed edgings. It looked really pretty.

"Two days later we went up and it was all gone, and so were the other things around the other trees.

"We called the council and we were told this wasn’t allowed as it was a health and safety hazard for the council staff that worked the grounds.

"The stuff we had put around the tree including the pebbles had been thrown out in the bin so it wasn’t even like they called us and asked us to remove it, they just threw it away.

"I don’t see what a few pebbles under a tree to make it look nice was doing to hurt anyone.”

The council’s guidelines restrict decorations like plant pots and teddies being left on plots for the health and safety groundskeepers.

It also limits headstones to standing 4’6” high.

The council publishes a price sheet for what can be paid for – including vases, kerb surroundings and plaques - and all designs and details must be submitted for approval.

Other restrictions are in place to keep headstones and decorations in line with others in the cemetery.

Councillor Alison Teal, executive member for sustainable neighbourhoods, wellbeing, parks and leisure, said in a statement on March 21: “Cemeteries are a place where people can come, pay their respects and visit loved ones who are no longer with us. We understand memorials are deeply personal, however we must have rules in place to ensure fairness.”

One resident said: “After my daughter’s death in 2005, we were refused anything religious like pictures of angels being put on her stone. I wanted a white headstone but was told it needed to be black to fit in with the others.

"The teddies we left were being removed daily.

"We lost another child in 2015 and we actually chose to keep his ashes at home as we couldn’t cope with the stress of dealing with the council again.”

Another woman told The Star: “My nan died 12 years ago. She was cremated and my grandad decorated her plot at Eckington Cemetery with a little white picket fence. It couldn’t have been taller than a pair of scissors.

“We were told to take it down.

"We left a pot for flowers and a robin decoration, which were taken away.

"On my grandad’s grave we put a stake you could leave a poppy in so bees could feed from it. That was taken away.

"We still pay £200 in maintenance fees every year for them to cut the grass but we aren’t allowed to do anything to it.

"When my partner’s niece died, we just spread her ashes rather than deal with the council regulations.”

Meanwhile, the 37-ton headstone’s future is uncertain after the city council claimed permission was not granted for the memorial, and it is now “considering options”.

Councillor Alison Teal: “All plans for grave memorials should be submitted to the council and must receive approval from Bereavement Services before they are erected.

“For submissions, applicants must provide several details, including the material and size of the memorial, the proposed inscription and a sketch. A memorial should be less than 75mm thick and no taller than 1.35m from ground level.

“Sheffield City Council approved plans for a memorial [Mr Collins’], however the plans which were submitted and approved differ from the memorial now in place. This was not fully appreciated until after the structure was fully unveiled.

“We have reached out to the family and intend to discuss changes which need to be made in order to satisfy the cemetery rules and take into consideration other cemetery users.

“It would not be appropriate to discuss the details further as this is a sensitive matter and we wish to speak with the family fully in the coming days.”

Willy's widow, Kathleen Collins, said in a statement on March 21: “We own the land and we do have planning permission.

"They watched it getting built every day without saying anything, and it wasn't done in a day. It took two weeks to get finished.”

Willy Collins, known to many as ‘Big Willy’ Collins and the ‘King of Sheffield’, died in July 2020 after collapsing while on holiday with his family in Port de Pollença in Majorca. He was 49.

The story of his enormous headstone has made headlines across the world since it was unveiled on March 17.