Heartache for Littlehampton family over gravestone move

Susan Spencer, 65, of Church Street, said she was “appalled” when she discovered what had happened to her mother’s burial plot, at the Littlehampton Cemetery, on Friday (October 19) morning.

Fearing the grave had been vandalised, the family contacted Arun District Council, and was told that the headstone was a danger to the public and had been laid down on top of the plot for safety reasons.

The council says the headstone was not knocked down, but was laid down “with the utmost respect”, on top of the grave.

Mrs Spencer, whose mother Agnes died almost 60 years ago, had tended the plot since childhood. She said she was almost in tears when she found the headstone lying on the ground.

“I just couldn’t believe it when I saw the grave,” she said.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking to think that someone could have done such a thing to my mother’s headstone.

“I almost cried when I saw what her burial plot looked like. It was extremely upsetting.”

Mrs Spencer’s husband John, 64, contacted Arun District Council immediately to report the suspected vandalism.

However, it was revealed that it wasn’t vandals who had taken down the headstone but health and safety officers from the authority – almost two weeks prior to the family discovering it.

Mr Spencer said: “What Arun District Council has done is disgraceful.