A grieving family was left devastated after bungling cemetery staff turned the burial of a grandfather into a nightmare.
Pat Cooper, of Pattocks, Basildon, family and friends were shocked to find the plot they had requested to lay Leonard Francis to rest alongside his wife Esme<OK> had not been dug.
Instead, the family was driven to a burial plot in a completely different part of Basildon Cemetery, in Church Road, Pitsea.
Mrs Cooper, whose father died on January 8 at the age of 82, also claimed Co-op funeral directors failed to provide a Union flag to drape over Mr Francis' coffin.
She said: "It has been a total disgrace and a shambles. The whole family is absolutely devastated."
Basildon Council, which runs the cemetery, has admitted the mistake and withdrawn any funeral charges.
A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry. It is a very rare occurrence.
Co-op Funeral Services, based in Times Square, Basildon, refused to comment.
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