This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-50028922
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Northampton Borough Council's wrong grave mistake unnoticed for decade | Northampton Borough Council's wrong grave mistake unnoticed for decade |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A man who wished to be buried next to his wife lay in the wrong grave for 10 years, a report found. | A man who wished to be buried next to his wife lay in the wrong grave for 10 years, a report found. |
The couple's daughter bought two cemetery plots - with the intention of burying her parents on the sides they slept in bed - before the husband's death in 2008. | |
He was buried on the wrong side, but the error was not noticed until his death in 2018. | |
Northampton Borough Council has apologised and paid £500 compensation. | Northampton Borough Council has apologised and paid £500 compensation. |
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the plots in Kingsthorpe Cemetery were bought in 1999. | The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the plots in Kingsthorpe Cemetery were bought in 1999. |
When her father died, funeral directors told the couple's daughter he would be buried in a plot, labelled Y in the report. | When her father died, funeral directors told the couple's daughter he would be buried in a plot, labelled Y in the report. |
Having agreed he would be buried in a different plot - X - she queried this and the relevant paperwork was corrected, the report says. | Having agreed he would be buried in a different plot - X - she queried this and the relevant paperwork was corrected, the report says. |
Despite this, her father was buried in plot Y. | Despite this, her father was buried in plot Y. |
"No family members noticed the error as the graves either side were empty grassed areas," the report says. | "No family members noticed the error as the graves either side were empty grassed areas," the report says. |
Ten years later, when the mother died, the cemetery office noticed the error and informed the family, who agreed that the burial could take place in plot X. | Ten years later, when the mother died, the cemetery office noticed the error and informed the family, who agreed that the burial could take place in plot X. |
The daughter said it was her understanding that land on the "correct" side could not be used for burials as it had subsided. | The daughter said it was her understanding that land on the "correct" side could not be used for burials as it had subsided. |
Afterwards, she registered a complaint, accusing the council of "covering up" its mistake. | Afterwards, she registered a complaint, accusing the council of "covering up" its mistake. |
It said the error had been genuine, but could not offer an explanation. | It said the error had been genuine, but could not offer an explanation. |
The council offered to exhume and rebury the woman's parents in the correct plots, but the ombudsman said the "family understandably felt this was too distressing and declined". | The council offered to exhume and rebury the woman's parents in the correct plots, but the ombudsman said the "family understandably felt this was too distressing and declined". |
Their daughter, who did not wish to be named, said she felt "robbed" of telling her mother about the mistake while she was still alive. | Their daughter, who did not wish to be named, said she felt "robbed" of telling her mother about the mistake while she was still alive. |
"My mother suffered from Alzheimer's but if we'd have known this not long after my father had died, she was OK, we'd probably have accepted it as a family and it would not have been an issue," she said. | "My mother suffered from Alzheimer's but if we'd have known this not long after my father had died, she was OK, we'd probably have accepted it as a family and it would not have been an issue," she said. |
She said she had not been to the graves regularly since discovering the error because she "doesn't want to see" them. | |
This is not the first time that the same council has been involved in cases of wrongful burial - with two other cases in 2016. | This is not the first time that the same council has been involved in cases of wrongful burial - with two other cases in 2016. |
A council spokesman said: "We have apologised unreservedly and have reviewed our processes to ensure that customers' wishes are gathered at the point of plot purchase to avoid any future misunderstandings." | A council spokesman said: "We have apologised unreservedly and have reviewed our processes to ensure that customers' wishes are gathered at the point of plot purchase to avoid any future misunderstandings." |