A grieving family have revealed the graveyard blunder that meant they were unable to meet their mother's final wish. Ann Hunt's daughters had arranged to bury her alongside their father, who died six years earlier.
However, the Bristol Post reported that 48 hours before her funeral last March, they were informed that the "double plot" at the Church of St George in Easton in Gordano, Somerset, only had room for one and that she would have to be cremated instead. Almost a year on they have now spoken out after reading about a similar cemetery mishap at another North Somerset graveyard.
Ms Hunt's daughter Sharon Rye, who lives in Hartlepool, said she was horrified when she received a call from Co-op Funeralcare in Portishead stating her mother could not be buried as planned. Distraught, she informed her sisters in Bristol, Joanne and Mandy, who said they felt they had been robbed of a dignified send-off for their mother.
Co-op Funeralcare has since reimbursed the family and admitted there was a delay in investigating the issue with the burial space after it arose during funeral arrangements. It also agreed that there was a delay in communicating this issue with Mrs Hunt’s family.
Ms Rye, 63, told BristolLive that “the whole thing was horrendous” as the church records showed the grave was deep enough for two coffins. But the family was even more devastated due to their family connections with the church, where they had built a long-term relationship, from childhood christenings to their marriages.
She claims that when she asked the church if her parents could be buried together in an entirely different grave, she was told no due to the amount of paperwork involved, and she felt their only option was a cremation. “We had no choice but to go against our mum's wishes and now the three of us have to live with this decision for the rest of our lives,” she added.
A spokesperson for Co-op Funeralcare said: “We recognise this has been an extremely difficult time for the family of the late Mrs Hunt. During the arrangement of this funeral, some issues were brought to our attention regarding the burial plot and there was a delay in investigating this and then communicating with Mrs Hunt’s family in a timely manner."
Ms Rye said due to the short notice and time slots available, on the day of the funeral their mother's coffin was taken back to the chapel of rest and she was then cremated at a later date. She said the family felt let down by both the church and Co-op Funeralcare because of the way everything was handled.
“We had to chase constantly for information about mum’s body only to find out her ashes still remained at the crematorium weeks after she was cremated. This is our mother's life - not just another body,” she added.
She said the family was eventually refunded £900 by the Co-op for the mishap but that it was not about the money. She added that she would not wish their “nightmare” ordeal on anyone else.
The Co-op has apologised to the family for the delay which fell “short” of the “usual high standards of service”, adding: "We have been in touch directly with Mrs Hunt’s family to apologise and have refunded the associated fees."
A spokesperson from the Diocese of Bath and Wells said: “We are sorry to hear of the Hunt family’s distress. The Church is always there to support the bereaved and if things don’t go to plan with any funeral arrangements, whatever the reason, we seek to deal with these sensitively with the family’s needs uppermost in our minds.”
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The family asked BristolLive to include a tribute for Ann and Brian Hunt (mum and dad) as below:
"Together again, sadly dad passed away seven years ago just two months before their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Mum passed away on January 31, 2022, and was eventually reunited with dad on May 3, 2022. They have left three daughters, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
"Over the years they joined in village life with family and friends which meant a lot to them. Mum and dad enjoyed family holidays and coach holidays which they had quite a few in later life until health issues stopped it for them. They are both truly missed by family and friends. Forever in our Hearts. The three of us tried very hard to fulfil your wishes mum but were sadly let down. Joanne, Sharon & Mandy. xx"
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