A GRIEVING niece says she is being prevented from burying her uncle’s ashes because of a metal fence placed over her family grave.

Jen Baker’s uncle died in January and she visited Birch’s St Peter and St Paul’s Church in March to collect cards placed on the grave.

He is due to be laid to rest alongside his wife, mother and father and alongside Mrs Baker’s mother and brother.

But a steel fence prevented her from collecting the cards and Mrs Baker, 64, said she was left devastated after being told she must arrange an appointment with the contractors despite the fencing being in place on top of the family’s grave plots.

Echo:

Mrs Baker said: “I burst into tears when I saw the fence. There are concrete blocks placed on the grave.

“I was shocked how anybody can be so heartless, the fresh wreath gives away the fact it’s a recent death.

“I wasn’t able to take any flowers to my brother on his birthday or to my mum on Mother’s Day.

Mrs Baker, who lives in Colchester, added the family cannot yet bury her uncle’s ashes while the fence is in place.

She added: “We’ve now got to arrange an appointment to take down the barriers so we can bury my uncle.”

The Grade II listed building has stood empty for 31 years and fallen into disrepair, and it is estimated it will cost at least £1.9 million to restore.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Chelmsford said: “It is with great regret we had to take the decision to extend the safety fencing at the former church of St Peter and St Paul’s on the advice of our consultant structural engineers.

“The fencing is in place to protect members of the public from falling masonry and there is simply no alternative to it being there in the short term.

“We understand this means some memorials and family graves cannot currently be visited.

"We also understand the considerable distress this must cause and we look forward to the construction of a memorial garden on the site of the former church which will allow families to visit again.

“We had been made aware of the fencing that is positioned on top of a family grave and we are extremely sorry this has happened. We are working with our contractor to remove it as quickly as possible.

“The team rector is supporting the family and we have assured them that they will be able to access to the grave to bury their late uncle’s ashes once a date is set for the interment.”