You lost the plot

Aug 17 2008 Additional Reporting By Jane Barrie

ELLEN MURPHY'S dying wish was to be buried alongside her beloved husband Con, who died in a road accident aged just 39.

But her outraged family claim he is four plots away in an unmarked grave.

They are now demanding the cemetery's owners admit that Con was laid to rest in the wrong lair 23 years ago.

Ellen's son David, 46, said: "All we want is to fulfil mum's final wish."

Widow Ellen bought plot 3055 at St Kentigern's in Glasgow's Lambhill in 1975 after Con, a whisky bond worker, died.

His grave was unmarked at first as Ellen put every penny she had towards raising her five boys.

But when the factory worker died aged 67 in 2004, the family uncovered a mixup with the title deeds which had been issued by the Archdiocese of Glasgow but are now the responsibility of the council.

The day before her funeral, van driver David had a call from the undertaker.

He said: "They had found someone else in our lair. I was furious. Then he called back to say the gravediggers had gone into the wrong lair and assured me they had now dug down and found a plaque with dad's name on it."

After his mum's funeral David and his brothers Ralph, 48, John, 45, Charles, 41 and Robert, 37, were still not convinced and approached a lawyer.

David said: "My aunt tends dad's grave so knew where it was. Our headstone is at mum's grave but someone else is on top of dad. That explains them finding another coffin."

I got on to Glasgow City Council, who claimed there was confusion because Murphys' lair was 3054, not 3055.

They insist David's parents are together but cannot identify his dad as no coffin plate could be recovered, despite David being told a plaque had been found.

The council said: "Any reparation request should go to the Archdiocese."

The Archdiocese of Glasgow said: "A council probe shows Mr Murphy's parents are buried together."

But David said: "I know they're not in the one grave."

The Murphys' only hope is DNA testing. They won't rest until their parents are laid to rest - together.

Ellen's last wish.. to be laid to rest beside her husband

Family say he's in a different grave..four yards away