Post by Taxigirl on Nov 7, 2003 10:54:20 GMT
Further excavations will be carried out at a south Wales cemetery following another incident of a body being buried in the wrong grave.
An exhumation carried out at Ty Rhiw cemetery at Taffs Well, near Pontypridd, revealed that a man had been put into the wrong plot.
It is the second such incident to be discovered at the site within a matter of weeks, and irregular burials have also been investigated at two other cemeteries in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area - Cefn y Parc and Glyntaff.
The latest mistake came to light during an exhumation earlier this week, following concerns that the man's wife had been buried in the wrong place.
Susan Mist's family had her grave opened on Wednesday after concerns that her remains were not where they should have been.
The family's fears proved wrong but, during the exhumation, it was discovered that her husband Peter's remains were not where the family thought. Instead, another coffin was in his grave.
On Friday further excavations will take place at Ty Rhiw cemetery to try and establish where Peter Mist has, in fact, been laid to rest.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and South Wales Police are investigating a series of errors at a total of three cemetaries in the area.
One member of council staff has been suspended, and some of the families affected are considering legal action.
In September it emerged that relatives of a woman who died more than two years ago had held a second funeral for her after she was buried in the wrong grave with a stranger.
Lilly Blackburn died in 2001 and should have been buried in the same grave as her husband, who died in 1959. Instead, she was buried in the next grave along.
On the day of the funeral her daughter Marlene Jones raised her concern that Mrs Blackburn was being buried in the wrong grave.
Funeral directors and council officials were told and the ceremony was held up for 40 minutes while records were checked.
Visiting wrong grave
But the family were told that that they had made a mistake - and that Lilly Blackburn was, in fact, being buried with her husband.
They were told that they had been visiting the wrong grave for more than 40 years, and the ceremony went ahead.
But, after two-and-a half years of campaigning, council officials have confirmed that the family were right all along.
They were spurred on by an earlier irregularity involving another family.
At the time, a spokesman for the council said :"Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is continuing its investigation in conjunction with the South Wales Police into claims of irregularities to entries in the registers of burials in the Taf Ely area.
The cemeteries involved are Cefn y Parc, Ty Rhiw and Glyntaff."