A shocked son says he jumped into his mum’s grave after her coffin fell head first while being lowered into the ground.
Doris Londsale, 75, was being laid to rest at Stapenhill Cemetery when horrified ones witnessed her coffin being dropped – an incident the funeral director claims has never happened before in 21 years of operation.
According to Birmingham Live, son Darren Clarke had turned away as he was too upset to watch his mother being lowered down, but looked up when he heard gasps from those around him.
He realised in horror that her coffin had fallen into the grave, and promptly jumped down to lift it back up.
Funeral directors Murray’s has apologised for the accident and paid compensation to the family.
But Mr Clarke said he has been left suffering flashbacks and has since been unable to return to her graveside.
Mr Clarke said: “They were carrying her coffin to the grave at waist height. I couldn’t watch so I faced the tree about three metres away. Then I heard a gasp. I turned round to see and my sister say they’d dropped my mum.
“I ran over and jumped in the grave. I lifted it right and got her back out. I am just grateful it didn’t open.”
Mrs Lonsdale was buried on Tuesday, December 21. The service took place at Elim Pentecostal Church before the interment at Stapenhill.
Bosses from Murray’s Funeral Directors said one end of the coffin accidentally fell in the grave.
But Mr Clarke said he was still suffering as a consequence of the incident.
He said: “I haven’t been back to the cemetery. I wake up sweating. We haven’t been able to grieve. It is horrible.
“I keep replaying it. I feel like I let my mum down. It was undignified for my mum. This was on my watch.”
The family later complained to the firm and in a letter sent to them on behalf of Murray’s solicitor, the firm said it had accepted the incident had occurred and an in-person meeting and apology had taken place.
Mr Clarke added: “It is not about money. I was off work and on sleeping tablets.
“What will they do to make sure this doesn’t happen again to someone else?”
David and Sue Barke, of Murray’s, said: “Murray’s Funeral Directors acknowledges that there was an accident in December while a coffin was being lowered into a grave, when one end of the coffin fell in.
“The situation was resolved promptly, and the burial continued in a dignified manner.
“Murray’s acknowledges the obvious upset this caused family and bystanders and has apologised both personally and in writing.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before in the 21 years that we have been serving the community in Burton and we are naturally extremely upset for the family.
“As a company we are proud of the excellent reputation, for the quality of service we provide and always act with the aim of helping families through the distressing time of a bereavement, as sensitively and professionally as possible.”
