TWO sisters who discovered that someone else's ashes and headstones had been placed on top of the grave of their grandparents say they have yet to receive an apology from Malton Town Council.

June O'Brien, of Cawood, and Margaret Nicholson, of Haxby, were horrified to find that a woman had mistakenly been buried in the plot where their mother's parents lay in Old Malton Cemetery.

Malton Town Council has agreed to rectify the error, which occurred before it took over running of the cemetery in 1974, but the women branded their handling of the blunder as insensitive and said no official apology had been offered.

"I can't believe they did not say 'We are so sorry'," said Mrs O'Brien.

The sisters uncovered the error when they visited the cemetery last autumn as they planned to purchase a headstone to remember their relatives.

The family has two plots next to each other and their uncle and great-aunt are also buried with their grandparents.

After consulting a map of the plots, Mrs O'Brien wrote to the council in October in an attempt to clarify the situation.

She said: "I got no response and I had to chase it up. I was eventually given the name of Gerry Cheetham, the clerk to the council."

Mrs O'Brien was eventually contacted by Mr Cheetham in January to say that the error had been investigated and the council had agreed to cover the cost of moving the headstones and ashes to another plot.

The sisters met Mr Cheetham, who they said was "rude". He told them they would have to pay a £75 charge to rest their headstone in the cemetery.

"We have made about six journeys back and forth to Malton and this was not our mistake. I would be happy to pay the £75, but they have been so rude," said Mrs O'Brien.

"I also asked if I could be notified of the day it takes place and they said no. I think it stinks. If this is wrong then how many others are wrong?"

Mr Cheetham told the Evening Press: "She has been treated most reasonably by the council and by myself. She wanted the headstone moving and rightly so.

"The council has offered to move the headstone at no cost to Mrs O'Brien."

Updated: 10:49 Wednesday, July 28, 2004