Grieving Harpenden man locked in a dispute with the council over the ownership of his parents’ grave

Paul Foster applied and paid for sole ownership of the plot where his parents are buried at Westfield Road Cemetery in Harpenden last July.

However, when he attempted to add his father’s name to the gravestone in October he was told there had been a mistake and he was actually the joint owner with his sister.

Having visited the cemetery last week, Mr Forster was "horrified" to discover the grave stone was missing from the plot.

The 49-year-old said: "The council has been very misleading. I paid for sole ownership, only to find I was joint owner and now the grave stone has vanished and no one can tell me where it has gone.

"If I am to be the joint owner, I want half of the money back. I also should have been notified if any changes were going on.

"It seems to me the council has unwittingly or incompetently given sole ownership to my sister. I just want to know what’s going on.

"It’s heart wrenching to know the grave is missing and not being told anything is making it worse."

Mr Foster, who is an honorary alderman of St Albans, served as an elected councillor from 1998 to 2009 and was Harpenden Mayor in 2003/4.

The chartered surveyor, who now lives in Dubai, added: "St Albans Council's cemetery manager has mismanaged my parents' grave over the past year. This is only the latest issue in the dispute.

"Given that I have paid for and received confirmation I am the sole owner it seems surprising that the stone would be removed for maintenance, or any other reason, without first seeking my consent.

"It does occur to me that the stone and vase holder may have been removed for engraving, but that would surely need my instruction and agreement to any inscription - that’s the point of joint ownership. I’m so disappointed.

"Given that the stone was flat to the ground it can't have been removed for safety reasons."

Mr Forster’s mum has been buried at the plot since 1994, and his father since 2012. The pair lived in Harpenden for most of their lives and married at St Nicholas Church in Church Green in 1958.

Richard Shwe, head of community services at St Albans District Council said:  “We are aware of the issue with the missing memorial stone at the cemetery and are currently looking into the matter.”