A family was forced to exhume and re-bury their father 33 YEARS after his death – following a mix up with the graves.
Walter MacDonald died in 1980 and his children wanted to bury his wife Christina with him when she passed away last year.
But the couple’s five children were stunned when cemetery bosses told them their parents could not lie in rest together – because the plot was full.
Son Brian, 45, applied to have his father’s remains exhumed – at a cost of £1,200 – and Walter was finally buried next to his wife at the cemetery in Sunderland.
Brian said: “They told us there were two other bodies in there as well as dad.
“There was no mention of this when we buried him 33 year ago, and we’ve no idea who these other two people are.
“We’d have never agreed to bury him there if we’d known. It has cost us about £1,200 and caused a huge amount of upset and turmoil.”
A Sunderland City Council spokesman said: “We obviously understand and appreciate the family’s upset, but have suggested alternative arrangements.
“We appreciate the MacDonald family’s concerns and have been working closely with them, and their funeral director, to see how they can be best addressed.”
