A WAR of words has erupted between the family of a man who died of cancer and St Helens Council after the wrong relative's grave was opened in preparation for the funeral.

John Tobin, from Eccleston, died aged 47 after a nine-month battle with leukaemia. His family say events in the past week have deepened their devastation.

John is due to be buried in the grave of his son John. But, during the week a mix up resulted in the grave of his father, also called John, being opened.

The family claim a blunder by St Helens Cemetery, which is managed by the council, caused the problem. However, St Helens Council claim the family went to the undertakers without grave records and then gave the wrong information, leading to the mistake.

His sister Ann-Marie Grimes, 33, said: "I went up to put flowers on my dad's grave and when I got there I saw a big mound of dirt and realised they'd opened up the wrong grave. I could not look I had to turn back it was like reliving my dad's funeral again."

John leaves wife Betty, their five-children and his seven brothers and sisters.

His brother Michael, 38, added: "The family are devastated. My sisters are dumbfounded - as if they have not got enough to be upset about.

"The graves bear the same name but my nephew was 21 and my dad was 60 - they are not even buried on the same plot in the cemetery."

Denial

St Helens Council deny they were at fault. A council spokesperson claims the family went to the undertakers without grave papers. The undertakers then contacted the cemetery to check the grave details and were told there were two graves in the same name.

She said: "There were two graves in the same name, the family were asked was it the right grave was John Tobin of 18 Hillside Avenue and they said 'yes'. The admin papers came back and we realised there had been a mistake and we contacted the family."

The council added they would replace the grave's headstone and turf the grave without charge.