Family’s fury over burial mistake

A Mansfield woman has said she has been left devastated after discovering the cemetery plot she had reserved next to her parents has already been filled.
Ms Elizabeth Adams (fair haired) is devastated after she bought a cemetary plot in 1988 at Clipstone Cemetary so she may be buried alongside her parents and many other members of the family. The plot has since been occupied. Pictured here with sister Margaret Haywood who also has a plot purchased in the same location.Ms Elizabeth Adams (fair haired) is devastated after she bought a cemetary plot in 1988 at Clipstone Cemetary so she may be buried alongside her parents and many other members of the family. The plot has since been occupied. Pictured here with sister Margaret Haywood who also has a plot purchased in the same location.
Ms Elizabeth Adams (fair haired) is devastated after she bought a cemetary plot in 1988 at Clipstone Cemetary so she may be buried alongside her parents and many other members of the family. The plot has since been occupied. Pictured here with sister Margaret Haywood who also has a plot purchased in the same location.

Elizabeth Adams (64), of Grasmere Court, took the plot right next to her mother Sarah Adams along with ten other members of her family when she died in 1988.

Her father, Hugh, was buried in the same plot as his wife when he died some years later.

But during a visit to place some flowers at the Clipstone grave in November last year she was horrified to discover someone had already been buried in her place.

Said Elizabeth: “It has destroyed us - we are absolutely devastated. Dad went to his grave knowing we would all be together but now that is not going to happen.

“You cannot always control things in life but you think you might have control over your death wishes.”

Elizabeth’s father, Hugh, moved his family to the area from Scotland in the 1960s when work dried up in the coal mines.

He and his young family settled in Forest Town’s Garibaldi estate, to be followed soon after by his sisters.

Said Elizabeth: “When my mother died everybody bought a plot - now it turns out my plot was re-sold in 2004.”

Clipstone Parish Council has offered Elizabeth another plot or even to be cremated and have her ashes buried with her parents.

But she added: “That is not what I had planned for my death.

“We had all planned to be buried side-by side, but that will not happen now.”

Phil Burgess, clerk at Clipstone Parish Council, said: “The council greatly regrets the error of ten years ago which led to this.

“We are still in contact with Ms Adams and will make every effort to resolve the situation.

“But we also have to consider the bereaved widow of the deceased.”

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