A grieving mother and father are calling for an investigation claiming their twin sons’ grave was desecrated by thoughtless council workers.
Diggers in Alperton Cemetery left the grave of Arron and Antone Payne covered in a mountain of soil after ripping out plants and throwing aside flowers and ornaments left by their loved ones.
A wooden cross inscribed with the brothers’ names was also hurled on to a nearby grave.
Monica Campbell, who lives in Wembley, made the shock discovery on Sunday when she went to visit her sons who both died in tragic circumstances.
Antone lost his battle with cancer at the age of 13 in 1999 and Arron was stabbed to death in Wembley in 2012 aged 26.
She said: “There are no words to describe what I felt when I saw what had happened to my sons’ graves.
“I sobbed like a baby and it felt worse than when they passed away.
“This has made me feel like my boys are worth nothing, this is deeper than disrespect.
“I want answers as to how this was allowed to happen.”
After arriving at the cemetery she called her sons’ father Keith Payne, who rushed down to the scene immediately.
Telling the Times he thought his sons had been exhumed at first, he said: “I was in shocked. I couldn’t talk for 20 minutes.
“I really thought they had dug up the grave at first and I was looking around wondering what’s happened.
“They have been completely disrespectful.”
After making an official complaint to Brent Council they were told the soil was left over from a burial on Friday evening as it was too dark to clear it away.
Mr Payne continued: “There is no way it could have been too dark and if it was why didn’t they return in the morning?
“At the end of the day they have completely messed up my sons’ grave. “After we complained they have hurried and tried to tidy it back but it’s not how it was left. It looks vandalised.
“I want them to put the grave back way it was not the way they thought it was. We were due to have the grave measured up to fit a marble tombstone but we can’t now.
“We want a full investigation into how this could have happened and compensation so we can restore our son’s grave.”
On Tuesday Cllr Mohammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, called both parents and apologised to them individually.
He told the Times: “It must be horrible to discover mud covering your sons’ graves when you turn up to pay your respects.
“I am truly sorry for what happened and we are speaking to our contractors to review processes in this area to see if they can be improved.”
To see video footage of the grave on Sunday visit kilburntimes.co.uk.
Has your loved one’s grave been treated this way in a cemetery run by Brent Council?
Call the news team on 0207 433 0133 or email lorraine.king@archant.co.uk.
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