Kettering mum's heartbreak at being told she can't visit baby daughter's grave

A Kettering mum says she is distraught at the thought of being unable to visit her baby daughter's grave on the first anniversary of her death.

Sophie Briggs, 29, has been to visit little Hope's resting place in the baby garden at the Warren Hill crematorium and cemetery almost every day since she died last year.

Hope and twin sister Faith were both prematurely born at 28 weeks on April 27 but Hope tragically died 23 hours later.

Because of the coronavirus crisis Kettering Council has closed the cemetery grounds to the public, citing emergency Government regulations that cemeteries with a crematorium in the grounds should only open for funerals and burials.

Sophie said: "It is breaking my heart. I just don't know how I'm going to get through this.

"No families should be denied from going to visit their loved ones. I'm fighting this all the way."

Yesterday (Tuesday) Newcastle City Council re-opened their West End cemetery, which has a crematorium, after carrying out a risk assessment - and Sophie has urged Kettering Council to re-open the Rothwell Road cemetery.

She said: "I understand there is an increase in funerals and I respect that, but cremations are not happening after 4.30pm and at weekends.

"There's nothing stopping them from letting the public in to see their loved ones then.

"Nobody is going there for a gathering."

All other cemeteries in the borough of Kettering remain open because they don't have a crematorium.

A Kettering Council spokesman said they appreciated the closure was "extremely difficult" for families but that they had to take steps required to support the Government.

The spokesman said: "The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that Section 5 (8) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 requires those responsible for crematoria to close them except for funerals.

"This requirement to close would also include a cemetery if the crematorium is situated within the cemetery, which could then only be open for burials. The regulation does not apply to other cemeteries without crematoria, which can stay open. This means that, except for funerals, Warren Hill Crematorium and Rothwell Road Cemetery are closed to the public until further notice.

"Whilst we fully appreciate that these measures are extremely difficult for families and others who wish to visit graves of loved ones at this site, Kettering Council must take the steps required to support the Government in its fight against coronavirus."

When she asked the Ministry of Justice for their guidelines on closures of crematoriums that have cemeteries within the grounds early this month, a spokesman told her that burial ground managers were making their own decisions on the opening of burial grounds.

Hope's grave has lanterns and battery lights which require changing every few days. Because it is near a tree it is regularly covered in bird mess, which Sophie says will cause damage to the £3,000 headstone unless cleaned daily.

She said being unable to visit her daughter's grave has left her unable to sleep and feeling physically sick.

She said: "I sit with her for about an hour a day and if I can't I get my mum to go up to see her.

"Not being able to go there is driving me crazy."

A petition to open the grounds has already attracted more than 200 signatures.

But the council said that, at present, the grounds will remain closed.

The spokesman said: "We’re sorry that this is not the response Ms Briggs was hoping for and, whilst we can understand how difficult this must be for the family, we do hope that they understand why we are adhering to the above government regulations and so, at present, Warren Hill Crematorium grounds are closed.

"However, we will of course continue to monitor and review in line with any subsequent changes to government guidance."

Last week communities secretary Robert Jenrick MP urged councils to open cemeteries.

He said: "And I’m also asking councils to keep open or indeed reopen cemeteries and graveyards. Not for people to congregate in. That must not happen. But for people to make that private visit. To seek solace in a word at the grave of someone you have loved. Or to privately lay flowers.

"There have been times in my life when I have needed to do that. I’m certain there are people who need to do it today."