Ashes buried in wrong plot
Reporter: Lewis Jones
Date published: 01 March 2011
THE ashes of an Uppermill woman were buried in the wrong grave after a parish council mix-up.
Grieving husband Brian Iball had his wife Erica’s ashes interred at Saddleworth Parish Council Cemetery on January 17.
But when he visited the plot a distressed Mr Iball found that the memorial stone laid for his wife had been moved to a neighbouring grave without permission, but his wife’s ashes had not.
The confusion was down to communication between the council clerk and the grave digger.
Clerk Tony Marlor had originally told the digger, by email, to excavate plot 119. However, during a telephone conversation, he referred to the plot as “the next one” in a line of graves — which, unbeknown to him was 118, already reserved for another family.
After the ceremony the gravedigger realised the mistake and moved the stone to mark the correct plot but could not move the ashes without the family’s permission.
At a meeting last night Mr Iball addressed the council to deliver a formal complaint over the handling of his case.
He said: “This is most distressing for me, apologies cannot mend the harm that has been done.
“I can only hope that action is taken to prevent another family having this awful experience.
“A much more robust system needs to be in place.”
Councillor John Hudson said: “Nothing that we can say and do will help.
“Any changes made should have been done so with express approval, but we can’t avoid human error.
“Even if the digger thought he was being helpful, it was the opposite if the family weren’t involved.”
Councillor Ken Hulme said: “This is awful and one of the worst things that could have happened.
“At all times plots should be identified by number.”
The council recommended that the clerk seek a better way of marking reserved plots and that the cemetery subcommittee revise regulations.
Councillor Keith Begley said: “We can’t avoid human’s making mistakes, we extend our apologies.”
A letter of apology was sent to those involved and Mr Iball’s fee for the burial was waived.
