It has subsequently been disclosed that the ripping down of the flowers and their illegal dumping was the work of the hospital security department under the leadership of Mr Richard Drew.
Easter Evening News 20th January 1998
A security firm removed the flowers left outside the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital acting under orders from hospital officials, it was revealed today.
But hospital directors said today they had not told guards to dump the flowers on Mousehold Heath.
Now hospital security firm KS Security has launched an urgent investigation into how the flowers came to be on the heath.
Richard Drew, hospital director of administration, said: "Something went wrong and a lesson will be learned. It will not happen again. Under no circumstances would we agree with or condone the dispersal of any flowers in an improper fashion and look to KS Group Security to investigate."
Protestor June Farrow was unsatisfied with the response. She said: "The hospital should have found out how they were going to be disposed of before they asked for them to be taken down."
Whoever dumped the flowers, left on the hospital railings as part of a protest about the move to Colney, could face a fine.
Security firm managing director John Wright said: "The flowers were taken down at the instruction of the hospital. Where they ended up is a secondary issue. We are investigating."
City Council spokeswoman Rachel Bobbitt said: "We are not intending to take action. We need proof of who dumped them."
Mousehold Heath ranger Joe Connley was told about the dumped flowers by a woman who was disgusted to see them when walking her dog. He said: "They should not have been put there."
He informed the campaigners who had been left wondering where the flowers had gone.
Eastern Evening News 21st January 1998
Security staff who removed flowers left outside the Norfolk & Norwich Hospial made a well intentioned error of judgement, their boss claimed today.
Now new tributes are to be laid outside the hospital and will not be removed, a hospital spokesman has pledged.
Richard Drew, hospital director of administration, made the announcement as another bouquet was attached to the front gates in protestat the new Colney hospital.
He said there would not be a repeat of the incident over the weekend where flowers were removed to Mousehold Heath by security staff. He said: "They will be left there and treated appropriately. There is not going to be a repeat of whay happened."
But he added: "It is a trifle premature to mourn the passing of an extremely active hospital which will remain active for the next four years.
The news came as John Wright of KS Group Security revealed his investigation of the incident was now complete. Mr Wright today sais: "I apologise for any offence caused. It was an error in judgement by our staff but it was very well intended. The flowers were not just dumped, they were laid out on the heath. The intention was to do it sympathetically". He said the staff had been "counselled" over their actions and would not be disciplined.
Norwich City Council also said today it would be investigating the matter.
Protestors welcomed the investigation and said they would continue to lay wreaths outside the hospital. One of them, June Farrow, said: "We are very pleased to see action is being taken. We will be laying a wreath tomorrow.
(In spite of the above assurances the wreath laid by June Farrow was removed shortly afterwards, as were those of other people.)
Who could have done it?
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