Caroline Sutherland was left devastated when her father, Norrie Kennedy, was exhumed from Ayr Cemetery in 2022. The family was informed that graves in the cemetery had become waterlogged, and restoration work was required. Restoration work began that August, and Norrie’s body was subsequently removed along with 125 others. The bodies were taken to a specialist facility near Prestwick Airport to be prepared for re-interment.
In December of the same year, Norrie was reburied, but his daughter was left feeling let down by the South Ayrshire Council’s reburial arrangements. When she arrived at the cemetery, Norrie’s gravestone was covered in mud, and a gravedigger had to use water from his lunch to clean it before they could rebury him. The family was told that only certain coffins and floral tributes were allowed. Caroline believes that “There was a limit on what you were allowed to spend, regardless of what anybody else at the council said”.
The council said it had spent £284,000 in total on re-interments, floral displays, and the services of funeral directors. However, Caroline feels that the compassion was lacking, and described the process as a “conveyor belt”. She stresses that the families who are dealing with the loss of their loved ones need more compassion and understanding.
Further drainage issues were discovered ten miles away at Troon cemetery, where flooding had impacted 87 graves. Of these, 51 graves were occupied and will require exhumation. The council has promised to “liaise directly with families” impacted.
Caroline says that she has been left traumatised by the exhumation process, and despite being offered mental health support by the local authority, she believes that no amount of counselling will help. She can only sympathise with families who have loved ones in the affected graves at Troon cemetery. She encourages them to keep fighting and to ensure that they get what they want
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