Family distressed by sale of plot where couple married for 40 years wanted to be buried together.

Luke and Ben Robinson at the grave next to where their father is buried which had been bought for their mother and mistakenly sold.

Luke Robinson said it was the wish of his mother, Penny Robinson, to be buried next to her husband, Trevor, and she bought a double plot in St Leonard's Churchyard.

However, his brother, Ben, discovered the distressing error when he went to lay flowers at his father's grave last week - and now they say the council is suggesting their mother should "be cremated".

"My father died in September 2021 and we buried him in October 2021 on a double plot for my mother when she passes.

"Unfortunately there has been a mess up at the parish council and they have buried another person in my family's plot.

"We have tried to contact the parish council and their way of sorting things is telling my mother to basically be cremated when she passes, which she does not want to do.

"They have given us no answers as to how it happened and cannot explain how it is going to be rectified.

"They've offered us money back, which we're not very interested in.

"We just wanted to make sure my mum's last request was that she was buried next to my dad because they've been together 40 years.

"Obviously I know there are two families involved, concerned here, I just want to know how the mistake was made when the plot was reserved next to it. I don't get how they've made that mistake."

Since the discovery, Chapel St Leonards Parish Council say they have apologised for the "terrible mistake" and are seeking guidance from the Lincoln Diocese and the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management.