A BAN on wind chimes in a Newport cemetery looks set to go ahead despite opposition from more than 1,000 protesters.

The council plans to remove the chimes from Christchurch cemetery tomorrow after nine complaints that they make too much noise.

Resident Debra Evans and her daughter, Jessica, presented a petition with 1,128 signatures against the ban to council official David Morris yesterday.

But Mr Morris, grounds and countryside manager, said: "The regulations are clear - there is no provision for wind chimes in the cemetery."

Mrs Evans, 40, whose son, Kieron, is buried there, is furious about the decision.

She has vowed to stay at the cemetery, keeping guard over the chimes, which hang on a tree by her son's grave.

"There's no way he'll take mine down," she said.

"I'll stay there all day and all night."

The council received nine letters of complaint in the past few months about the chimes making too much noise, and this prompted the ban.

Mrs Evans' seven-year-old son died after being hit by a car in Hendre Farm Drive, Ringland, in June 2002.

When she heard about the council ban two weeks ago she thought it was "ridiculous" and started a petition.

Mrs Evans, her daughter and other protesters met Mr Morris outside the civic centre yesterday.

Although Mr Morris acknowledged that the petition showed "depth of feeling", he told the group: "The regulations say they shouldn't be there.

Nothing should be added to the cemetery without council approval." Mrs Evans and her friend, Diane Morgan, plan to arrive at the cemetery at 8.30am on Wednesday to stop the chimes being taken down.

Hanging chimes by her son's grave helps Mrs Evans deal with her grief. She said: "My seven-year-old boy would have loved wind chimes. When they're gone, there's nothing else you can do for them."

Protester Adrianne Thomas, 58, whose mother is buried in the graveyard, said the ban was "sad, small-minded and pathetic".

Mr Morris is to meet cabinet member Ray Truman today to discuss the petition.