Council denied Mum's final wish (From Barry And District News)

Council denied Mum's final wish

TRAUMA: Anne Jones and her brother Michael Tovey at their mother's unmarked grave BJH157H04

A GRIEVING Barry family is claiming the town council denied their mother her dying wish.

Complications at the local cemetery have made it impossible for the relatives of Doreen Jones to bury her with her mother as she wanted.

Her daughter Anne, who is still grieving for the mum she lost to cancer in November, told the News how her mum's dying wish was to rest with Sybil Davies.

But days before the ceremony Anne, of Ffordd Cwm Ciddi, and her brother Michael Tovey, 46, were told by the funeral directors that the grave next to their grandmother's had collapsed and Doreen could not be buried there.

Mother-of-two Anne, 40, said: "Barry Town Council gave us another plot, but we'd left space on gran's headstone to engrave mum's name.

"I was furious but at the time I just wanted to lay mum to rest, so the funeral went ahead."

The siblings now face costs of re-setting their grandmother's headstone, and buying one for their mum.

Michael, of Somerset Road, is also angry.

He said: "The day after the funeral, Barry Town Council invited us to the grave to see what had happened. We thought we'd have an explanation - but all we had was the disturbing sight of someone's bones poking through the ground, and the cemetery staff saying 'no comment' to our questions. We have never been contacted other than that. They referred us to their insurers. We haven't even had an apology."

Barry Town Council refused to comment on the treatment the family felt they received and referred the News to insurers Zurich Municipal. A spokesman said: "This is understandably a very upsetting incident and our sympathy is with the family.

"However, the council cannot be held responsible for unforeseeable events. There is not a case of negligence to answer and no other complaints have been received.

The council helped the family by waiving the costs of a new burial plot. Although this isn't an ideal solution this is the only help the council is able to offer. They feel they have done everything possible for a solution."