EXCLUSIVE Cheryl Tweedy’s family are ‘devastated’ after gravestone for the singer’s grandparents was one of hundreds deliberately knocked over by the council ‘for safety reasons’
- Hundreds of gravestones have been toppled at Heaton Cemetery, Newcastle
Pop star Cheryl’s family have spoken of their devastation after the local council deliberately knocked over her grandparents’ gravestone without warning due to ‘safety reasons’.
Brian and Margaret Tweedy’s headstone is among hundreds which have been flattened at Heaton Cemetery in Newcastle amid concerns.
The singer was close to her grandmother Margaret, who died in 2001 at the age of 60. She never knew her grandfather Brian, who had a heart attack in 1980, at the age of just 39, three years before the Girl’s Aloud star was born.
Local residents were left furious after works resulted in hundreds of stones being toppled, but Newcastle City Council claimed it had put notices in place in the cemetery prior to the work being carried out.
Cheryl’s uncle, Tony Tweedy, has spoken of his disgust after the family discovered Margaret and Brian’s resting place had been desecrated over the weekend.
Girls Aloud star Cheryl’s grandparents’ grave is one of hundreds to be affected
Brian and Margaret Tweedy’s headstone is among hundreds which have been flattened at Heaton Cemetery in Newcastle
Cheryl’s family are ‘devastated’ by the move, which they say they received no warning about
Mr Tweedy, a 59-year-old transport worker, said: ‘Cheryl didn’t know my dad but she was close to my mum, her grandmother.
‘I can imagine she will be upset when she finds out. She’s like the rest of us. She gets emotional about things.
‘Her dad will tell her what’s happened. She doesn’t come up to Newcastle as much now, but she will be saddened by this.’
Grandfather Mr Tweedy was told by another relative his parent’s grave had been taken down saw it himself on Sunday.
The family is just one of hundreds devastated by the actions of Newcastle City Council, who say they have flattened the stones amid safety concerns.
Mr Tweedy believes the council made no attempt to contact the family ahead of the work and says they now face a bill of around £500 to repair the headstone.
He added: ‘We are disgusted by what’s happened. The council couldn’t have done this at a worse time, just before Christmas.
‘It’s when a lot of people visit the graves of loved ones. It’s bad enough to lose your parents, but for those who have lost children, the heartache will be even worse. They will be devastated.
‘I went down to the cemetery after being told by my brother.
Cheryl’s uncle Tony Tweedy, 59, said the singer will be ‘upset’ when she is told the news
Mr Tweedy believes the council made no attempt to contact the family ahead of the work and says they now face a bill of around £500 to repair the headstone (pictured)
The family is just one of hundreds devastated by the actions of Newcastle City Council, who say they have flattened the stones amid safety concerns
Newcastle City Council said: ‘We understand this is an emotive and sensitive subject but we would like to reassure families that the work is carried out with the greatest respect and sensitivity’
Residents visiting the graves of their loved ones at Heaton cemetery were furious when they discovered the headstones laid flat on the grass
‘The headstone was lying on its back. There was nothing wrong with it. It wasn’t loose.
READ MORE: Fury after council deliberately knocks over hundreds of gravestones at three cemeteries without warning ‘for safety reasons’
‘There are graves in worse condition which haven’t been touched. None of it makes sense.’
Tony says his sister visits the headstone regularly, and would have noticed if there was a problem with it.
His wife Debbie, a 60-year-old carer, added: ‘Tony saw families in tears at the cemetery. It’s devastating.’
The graves affected have been removed from the ground and laid on their backs.
Yellow labels have been stuck to them which read: ‘Warning: This memorial is unsafe.’
One of those affected was Derek Armstrong’s memorial to his triplets, who all died as babies.
He wanted to visit his sons’ resting place ahead of laying his mother-in-law’s ashes the next day, but when he arrived he found the boys’ headstone lying on the ground with a yellow sign branding it ‘unsafe’.
Matthew, Daniel and Luke were born on April 23 1995 at 24 weeks ‘weighing just ounces’. Matthew died a day after he was born, Daniel at nine-days old and Luke at five-months.
The council said it had taken down the headstones for safety reasons and had left a notice sign at the cemetery
Derek Armstrong went to the cemetery last week to visit the memorial to his triplets who died before reaching their first birthday to find the headstone had been laid flat
The bereaved father has now been quoted £300 plus VAT to have the headstone put back up.
READ MORE: Dozens of headstones deliberately pulled down by council could be reinstated as mourning families finally get an apology two months after accusing bosses of ‘vandalism’
Earlier this month, council chiefs in North Yorkshire also sparked outrage after pulling down dozens of headstones following a ‘topple test’.
Angry residents described the actions by workmen at Haxby and Wigginton Cemetery near York, North Yorkshire, as an ‘act of vandalism.’
A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: ‘We have a legal duty to ensure our cemeteries are safe places for people to pay their respects and for our staff to work in. In June, we started a programme of work to carry out safety inspections in all 10 of the council’s managed cemeteries.
‘A decision to lay down a memorial is only taken if they are deemed to present a risk to the public.
‘We understand this is an emotive and sensitive subject but we would like to reassure families that the work is carried out with the greatest respect and sensitivity.
‘We always try to contact the last known owner should their headstone need to be repaired but please appreciate this may not always be possible. Our staff are always on hand to provide support and guidance to families so they can get their memorials repaired.’
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