A MAN has told of his family’s heartache after his dad’s grave was “covered and trashed” by a soil box.

Niall Terrell, 47, a Southampton painter and decorator, has told of the moment his family found his father’s grave covered by a large wooden box filled with soil at Hollybrook Cemetery.

Not only was the grave covered in soil, but items left by the graveside were damaged and the area was left in a mess.

Niall’s dad Edward “Eddy” Terrell died 23 years ago aged 47 after being diagnosed with throat cancer and his son tries to visit his grave every Sunday.

On April 2, the family was asked by Southampton City Council to remove a small fence around Eddy’s grave.

Daily Echo:

Photos of the soil box on top of Eddy Terrell's grave in Hollybrook Cemetery

But when they visited the following day to take it down, it was already covered by a huge box that Niall branded a “skip”.

“I am not a very emotional man,” he said. “But seeing his grave like that, I just broke down.

“There is a slate on the grave with a picture of St Mary’s Stadium on it which my friends had done for us and that has been broken.

“I visited his grave on March 27 and it wasn’t broken, so it must’ve been when they were doing these works.

“We are not the richest family in the world but we do try to keep his grave nice.

“I know that they will have to dig other graves but I don’t understand why the skips have to be on the graves. Can the workmen not be bothered to walk an extra 4ft?

“The grief and pain it has caused my family, it’s not fair. Graves should not be covered at all. (The council) don’t seem to have any compassion.”

Niall contacted the council and said that he was told the box would be removed on April 6.

He added the grave being covered had not been previously mentioned by the council.
Niall said that once the huge box had been removed, his dad’s grave was left “in a shambles” and that the incident caused his family “heartache and grief”.

Daily Echo:

(Left) Eddy Terrell's grave a few months prior and (right) the grave after the soil box incident

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said staff have apologised to the family ‘for any distress caused’ and since updated their policies.

They said: “We have apologised to the family for any distress caused and updated our procedures to ensure that in the future family members are informed when an excavation is due to happen.”

Daily Echo:

Eddy Terrell passed away 23 years ago

The council said rules on its website show when excavations are due to take place and the rules are “communicated to family members”.

The spokesperson said the soil box was industry standard and its operatives “make every effort to clean the area and return unauthorised graveside memorabilia, as was the case on this occasion”.

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