Shropshire Council apologises after roadworks 'wrecked dad's funeral'

Families told of their distress when they could not get into Telford Crematorium after a desperate search for alternative routes due to road resurfacing works on the A5.

The authority initially denied responsibility for the roadworks, directing the families to Telford & Wrekin Council.

However, a spokesman for Shropshire Council has now said: "Shropshire Council and our Shropshire Highways partners carried out surface dressing work on the A5 from Watling Street to Crackley Bank from May 9 to 11, and from May 26 to 30.

"Every effort was made to minimise disruption and to ensure access to the crematorium was maintained, and we liaised closely with the crematorium to help ensure that this was the case.

"However, we acknowledge that the work did, regrettably, cause inconvenience and delays for some people visiting the crematorium and we apologise for any disruption and distress caused. We will learn from this to avoid it happening again."

One of the families affected was of Wellington decorator Norman Rew who died on April 13 at the age of 74.

His funeral took place at Telford Crematorium on May 26 with mourners attending from all over the country.

Members of the family, including granddaughter Lauren Bailey, from Woodside, in Telford, never made it.

And Mr Rew's great friend Jeff Lomas, who was due to read a tribute, arrived from Hinstock as the service was ending. Some of the pall bearers were also unable to get there in time.

"It was a fiasco from the beginning to the end," said one of his two daughters Anita Jones, from Shawbirch.

"We were not given any prior notice and nothing regarding delays or road closures were published for guests that travelled over 150 miles to attend.

Guests were coming from Swindon, Reading, Ipswich, London, Wales and various locations in Shropshire but as they got closer to the crematorium for the 12.30pm ceremony they noticed that the road was shut. They claimed no diversion routes were made clear.

Mrs Jones said the hearse managed to get to the site but had to go down a bumpy road to get there for a truncated service. But she added that the civil celebrant managed to adapt to still deliver a meaningful ceremony.

"The hearse got through some traffic lights in Shifnal but they changed and mourners who were following got stuck on the red light and they didn't know the way," said Mrs Jones.

She added:"No matter where we went there were roadworks."

Mr Rew, who was part of Telford Hornets Club, and a trainee for Telford Tigers in the 1980s, was a keen cyclist riding in more than 20 charity bike rides throughout the UK.

He was ill in his latter years and the family was keen to give Mr Rew, a Rotarian of 50 years standing, a good farewell.

"We will never be able to hold his funeral again," said Mrs Jones. "A total of 87 people were expected to attend the funeral but only about 50 made it to the crematorium. We held a wake at the Buckatree Hotel in Telford and 80 people were there which was some comfort."

Mrs Jones said she wanted issues such as this to be communicated.

"We can't get that time back and dad did not deserve it, it was the last insult to him," said Mrs Jones.

Another family said the same thing happened to them on May 22.

"The funeral was 10:30am however the road was closed to crematorium.

"I complained and threw bollards out of the way and went, the road was perfectly passable.

"When we reached the Red Hill cemetery there was a contractor sitting eating his breakfast with the road closed.

"I had argument with him and drove through anyway, however several people were refused access to mom's funeral and were sent on a wild goose chase.

"As you can imagine this was stressful and very heart-breaking as several members were absent."

He said he was directed to Telford and Wrekin Council "who then said it was Shropshire Council who in turn passed me back to Telford & Wrekin Council."

He added that he had heard that other funerals had been affected too.

Telford & Wrekin Council said they had been working on a layby in the area but it did not need to close the road.