Family left distraught after dad’s grave is hit by flooding

Dec 31 2008 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A GRIEVING son this week told how his family have suffered further heartache after his dad’s grave was badly flooded at a cemetery in High Blantyre.

Thomas Rodger (26) has blasted South Lanarkshire Council after his father’s lair became waterlogged at Priestfied Cemetery.

James Rodger, of Bellhaven Road, Hillhouse, Hamilton, was laid to rest at the graveyard earlier this month.

Mr Rodger, a former Wellman Cabs taxi driver, died aged 48 after losing a one-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

He is survived by his wife Dina (47), Thomas, and daughters Dina (27) and 20-year-old Jemma.

They have called on the council to provide better drainage at Priestfield Cemetery in a bid to avoid further flooding there.

The flooding occurred during the heavy rain and storms in the week before Christmas.

Care assistant Thomas, who lives in Kirkton Avenue, Blantyre, told the Advertiser: “We lost our dad a few weeks before Christmas.

“And now the council have made Christmas worse for us. It’s a disgrace.

“The water is lying on top of my dad’s grave, and it is upsetting to think that has happened to him.

“We complained to the council and they said there was nothing they cold do about the flooding.

“We gave the council every chance to solve the problem but all they have done is throw sand on top of my dad’s grave.

“It has been really upsetting and distressing for all the family, particularly to my mum who is still trying to come to terms with my dad’s death. She can’t stop crying.

“We have had to clear the water away ourselves. My sister and I have been up and down at the graveyard taking away buckets of water but it didn’t make any difference.

“The council say that it is an automatic drainage system and that water will go away itself.

“But we heard them saying that there is no drainage at that part of the cemetery.

“I just want the council to drain my dad’s grave properly.

“My mum can’t put a wreath down, and the flowers laid at the grave have been wasted.

“She is not getting to grieve for her husband

“We can’t afford to dig him up and move him.”

Dina said that the council promised to take action to resolve the flooding problem at her husband’s grave.

She added: “I put my trust in the council.

“I asked them not to touch my husband’s grave until I met at the cemetery.

“But they went behind my back and started throwing mud in my husband’s grave to cover it, so that it wouldn’t look so bad.

“If my son had not gone up early, we wouldn’t have known that they hadn’t drained the grave.”

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman apologised for any distress caused to the family.

“We have experienced unprecedented heavy rainfall and storm conditions of late,” she said.

“This has caused waterlogging conditions at the Priestfield Cemetery and that has affected the presentation of the family lair.

“Following burials, particularly with first interments, a reasonable timescale must be allowed for settlement to occur and facilitate final surface preparation.

“Unfortunately, recent weather conditions have not allowed this to happen and further sinkage has occurred.

“We acknowledge the distress this has caused the family and Land Services staff have removed some of the water-logged surface material and replaced it with compacted backfill material in preparation for turf laying when agreed by the family.”