COUNCIL EXHUME BODIES AT CEMETERY
Heartache as deceased to be reburied at Ayr site
Bodies will be dug up from their graves at Ayr Cemetery and could lie in a facility for at least four months.
Devastated families’ worst fears have been confirmed after a horror letter was issued to them by council chiefs.
And it is feared that up to 30 graves could be affected.
The ‘cold and heartless’ letter features a grim list of steps that includes removing memorials and concrete slates, before the removal of loved ones into a new “standard coffin”.
Bodies will then be held in a facility before being placed back into their original lair by chief exhumer Peter Mitchell.
In another devastating blow families were told they would only be able to visit graves one day a week throughout summer, with the major water ingress works taking at least four months to complete.
Now shattered families have been left in a state of trauma as they face a heartbreaking decision.
The council letter, seen by the Post, asks families to fill out a permission slip and return to the council via a pre-paid envelope.
A relative told the Post: “It is so cold and heartless, we should have all been spoken to individually but they can’t bear facing us, looking us in the eye and telling us what is really going on.
“The council have just prolonged our suffering. They have known this from day one.
“I can’t believe they have just issued a letter asking us to think about removing our loved ones from what was supposed to be their final resting place.
“Everyone has received the same letter, it is just copied and then sent out, there is no care given, it’s an utter shambles.”
A sheriff order will have to be submitted for the council to gain legal action in order to
remove bodies.
Families have only been given a week to send permissions with the deadline set for Wednesday, May 18.
The letter also entails that families can meet with council teams this week to discuss options on how graves will be sealed.
But they have only been given a two day window to discuss options with appoints only available on Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13.
On Monday, South Ayrshire Council issued a statement which detailed that a programme of works will start on June 13 and last approximately four months.
Ayr’s MSP Siobhian Brown SNP has asked for specialist bereavement counselling to be offered to grieving families to deal with the heartache.
Ms Brown said:”I contacted South Ayrshire Council yesterday to ask for an update on Ayr Cemetery.
“I understand how distressing this is for the families involved and I have once again asked for a more personalised service to be put in place for those affected, especially considering this recent letter.
“I have also asked for specialist bereavement counselling to be offered to grieving families.”
A council spokesman said: “We have been in contact with the affected lair owners to seek the relevant permissions to proceed with the programme of works.”
The grim process sent to families in a letter stated:
The removal of tributes and memorabilia to a safe location
Removal of the top concrete slats and water from the upper chamber Access into and removal of any water from the lower chamber
Removal of the interim slats The disinterment (permission required) and transportation of your loved one to a specialist facility, where they will be carefully and respectfully placed into a new standard coffin.
They will then remain at our facility until they are transferred back to Ayr Cemetery for re-internment by Peter Mitchell Associates.
Your loved one will be re-interred in your family lair, and the chambers sealed using the preferred option from the current testing.