Easter egg hunt in cemetery cancelled after being branded 'inappropriate'

An Easter egg hunt in a cemetery has been cancelled after a social media backlash.

The event was due to take place next Wednesday at Wrexham cemetery.

Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said it was a "wonderful idea to get young people interested in local genealogy".

According to its website, the group's aim is "to promote the preservation, care and improvement of Wrexham cemetery as a place of historical value and interest and as a community green space for the public benefit".

Responding to the backlash on social media, the group said the section of the cemetery that would have been used "is occupied by the dead from a century ago and will not affect any recent internments".

They said children would not be "climbing on graves".

"I am at a loss as to why anyone would be angered by children enjoying an outdoor space, it should be encouraged," they added.

Several people argued on social media that the event was inappropriate, with some saying they had relatives who were buried there.

"I can see the idea of encouraging people to visit but an Easter egg hunt is not an excuse," one said.

"I think this is totally disrespectful and certainly not a very good idea," another added.

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In a later statement, the group said it had made an "emergency decision" to cancel the event "to safeguard the young people that were going to participate".

Sky News has contacted Friends of Wrexham Cemetery for further comment.