Jade Owen, Adrian Ellis, Tina Akar and Maria Weaver

The grieving family of a Shropshire couple who died within months of each other are threatening legal action against the new unitary council following a row over a memorial bench.

The family of Charles and Margaret Ellis, of Shrewsbury, claim they have been treated “disgracefully” by Shropshire Council’s bereavement services after paying more than £700 for the bench only for it to be put in the wrong place.

Mrs Ellis was 71 when she died of heart problems in October 2007 and Mr Ellis 77 when he died of a dementia-related disease in March 2008.

One of the couple’s six children, Teresa Challenor, formerly of Meole Estate, but now of Barmouth, speaking on behalf of the couple’s other children, Jade, Adrian, Tina, Maria and Paul, said the council had refused to move the bench to a path at Shrewsbury Cemetery in Longden Road as previously agreed.

Mrs Challenor said the family had now sought legal advice and was preparing to take action through the Small Claims Court.

She said: “ I contacted the bereavement services manager on four occasions before it was put in the wrong place and she never once said that where we had asked for was a problem.

“But they then said we couldn’t have it there in case it caused an obstruction. To me it shows the real arrogance of the council as there is no formal policy in place in relation to benches being put on the paths.

“We lost both of our parents within five months of each other and quite frankly the pain has, at times, been unbearable. The bench was to have been a haven for us.”

Brian Johnson, of Shropshire Council, said it had tried to reach an “acceptable and amicable” solution.

He said: “When the bench was requested an error was made by the council, in that we failed to inform Mrs Challenor it would not be possible to put the bench where she requested on the path.

“The bench was in fact located adjacent to the path, and this was unacceptable to Mrs Challenor.

“We have apologised to Mrs Challenor for the distress the incident has caused her and her family, and offered various compromise offers, including refunding the bench-fixing fee.”

By Russell Roberts