Grieving woman left 'looking into her own grave' after husband's plot dug up instead of mother's

A grieving woman was left "looking into her own grave" after the wrong plot was dug up at her mother's burial.

Paula Entwistle from Pwllheli was supposed to lay her mother, Carolyn Campous, to rest after she died on 14 January.

However, Paula claimed the funeral directors made a number of "distressing errors" in planning her mother’s burial, including digging up her husband’s grave instead of her father’s.

Paula realised the error after the funeral service took place when she was left staring into the grave of her husband, who passed away seven years ago, and where she hopes to eventually be laid to rest herself.

She was offered to rearrange the service to the following week, but agreed to hold it later that day. It meant family members were forced to abandon the service and return in two hours time to continue.

“When I went in to see [the funeral directors], he couldn’t find my dad’s records so he used my husband’s instead. I thought it was just a reference for the family, I didn’t realise that he was using it as a reference to dig him up.

“When we came out of the chapel they had dug up my husband's grave instead of digging up my dad. I said 'That’s my husband's grave, I'm looking into my own grave. There's my dad's one over there. You're not putting her in there when she's supposed to be in there'," Paula explained.

Other errors included the incorrect spelling of her mother's name on two occasions, as well as a tribute to a stranger printed on her mother's order of service by mistake, according to Paula.

The directors had previously organised the funerals of her late father and husband, which is why she decided to return for her mother’s service.

Paula claimed the family were yet to receive an apology, but Funeral Director Gruff Roberts insisted these were made on the day by himself and his team.

Mr Roberts said he plans to meet with the family later this week: "I am very sorry for what happened and of course we apologise. It was my fault, nobody else’s and I am very upset, myself."

Despite an apology, Paula emphasised the long-term impact: “My mum didn’t get the service she had paid for and my husband should never have been disturbed. You can say sorry, but you can’t re-do the funeral, you can’t undo it. I’ve looked into my own grave unnecessarily.

“They dug up two graves for one person, how could they get that wrong?”