Heartbroken mum's upset after baby son's grave turned into mudbath

A heartbroken South Yorkshire mum has called for action after a cemetery where her baby son is buried became a ‘dangerous’ mudbath.
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Laura Rose Cooper says she and other grieving families are demanding better drainage and paths at the cemetery, with areas around graves becoming slippery and caked with thick mud.

Laura Rose who visits her son Freddie’s grave every day, said: "The ground is no longer safe and we are unable to walk on it to visit out son.

"This is heartbreaking for us as we visit twice a day.

The thick mud around Freddie's grave.The thick mud around Freddie's grave.
The thick mud around Freddie's grave.
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"I’m not the only one who has complained - there have been many families and nothing is getting done.

"A lady who I spoke to at the cemetery last week said her mother in law had fallen and broken her ribs. It’s so dangerous now something needs to be done.”

Photos taken by Laura Rose, show thick, slippery mud on the areas inbetween the graves.

She says she and other families have contacted Dignity Funerals, which runs the cemetery on behalf of Rotherham Council, but without success.

Slippery mud has made part of the cemetery dangerous.Slippery mud has made part of the cemetery dangerous.
Slippery mud has made part of the cemetery dangerous.
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It is the second heartache Laura has had to endure in just over a year.

In September 2019, heartless thieves stole a toy sword from Freddie’s grave on the second anniversary of his birthday.

Freddie died at just 17 days old in October 2017 after being born prematurely at just 24 weeks. Doctors fought to save him but he contracted sepsis and died at just 17 days old.

Since then, Laura Rose, of Rossiter Road, Greasbrough has visited his grave at Greasbrough Cemetery twice a day and turned it into a shrine with toys, flowers and balloons.

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She said at the time: “We’re all absolutely devastated. It’s heartbreaking. That’s what hurts the most, that someone is taking things from your child’s grave when you’re not there.

“It's just really low. It’s bad enough having to go to your child’s grave as it is, but this just adds more heartache.”

Dignity has managed the cemeteries in Rotherham on behalf of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council since 2008.

We have contacted the firm for comment.