The remains of a mum and daughter are to be exhumed after the younger woman's coffin started to resurface from their shared grave at St Nicholas churchyard at Codsall, near Wolverhampton, UK.
It appears mum Brenda Owen's coffin had not been buried deep enough and her daughter Angela's coffin was only covered by around a foot of soil when it was buried on top.
It began to resurface as soil settled in the grave, reports the Birmingham Mail.
Exhumation is only allowed in "exceptional" circumstances, however, Stephen Eyre, a judge from the Church of England's Consistory Court and chancellor of the Diocese of Lichfield, has revealed why he has allowed the coffins to be dug up and properly reburied.
Chancellor Eyre said permission had been sought for the lifting and lowering of both coffins, but the sandy soil led to fears that nearby graves could collapse.
He said: "Understandably this has been deeply distressing for her family, even though as a temporary measure the coffin has been covered by further soil."
Brenda was buried after a funeral at St Nicholas in July 2012, and her daughter in March 2013.
Chancellor Owen refused to make an order sought by the Owen family that the plot currently occupied by the remains of Brenda and Angela should remain unused in the future.
He said he "very much" doubted whether he had the power to do so, and that it would be "inappropriate" to prevent reuse of an available plot.
However, he said a two-year "period of restraint" might be appropriate, and said the Rev Simon Witcombe, the Vicar of Codsall, had indicated the plot would be unlikely to be needed in the foreseeable future.
Source - Mirror
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