IT is the extraordinary graveyard blunder that brought pain and anguish to two Hampshire families.

A horrified couple were distraught to find that bungling church officials had buried the wrong man in the plot they had reserved next to their son.

Relatives of the dead man refused to allow him to be moved, so the dispute went to a church court which ruled that he should be reburied.

Now the final chapter in the incredible story has taken place as the body of Alan Povey, 72, has been dug up and reburied in a grave in the cemetery at St Andrew's Church in Owslebury, near Winchester.

The exhumation took place in private and with no ceremony last month.

John and Pauline Hood, of Chilworth, near Southampton, wanted to be buried in the space next to their son Duncan's grave. He died in 2003, aged 38, of sudden adult death syndrome. The Hoods paid £200 to reserve the plot.

Church bosses ordered that Mr Povey's remains be reburied after the Hoods said that they had reserved the plot in 2004.

The Chancellor of the Winchester Diocese, Christopher Clark QC, had been called in to adjudicate after the Poveys declined to agree for Mr Povey to be relocated.

The chancellor held an informal hearing and ruled in the Hoods' favour in March.

Pauline Hood told the Daily Echo: "It has been very sad for everyone concerned. We are relieved it is all done and we want to put it all to rest. We are very sorry for the Poveys."

Rosemary Povey, widow of Alan, a farrier, of Owslebury Bottom, Owslebury, said she had not attended the exhumation but was present at the reburial ceremony along with close members of the family.

"I'm glad it is all over. We have been very hurt by this. Hopefully Alan is now at rest. It has been a terrible time," said Mrs Povey, 73, who was married to Alan for 49 years.

The issue has proved highly embarrassing for the Church of England.

The Rev Mark Bailey, vicar of Owslebury, has repeatedly apologised for the mix-up, calling it "deeply regrettable". He put the mistake down to an administrative error.