A WIDOW was forced to change plans to scatter her husband’s ashes after a 357 per cent price hike at Accrington Cemetery.

Grieving Dorothy Laraway’s husband Stephen died in May at the age of 58.

He was cremated at Burnley but Dorothy, 61, of Rowan Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, kept his ashes to scatter over his mum and dad’s grave on the anniversary of his mum’s death on August 8.

But after making inquiries with the council, she received a letter telling her the price was increasing from £14 to £50.

“They said the council has no money,” she said.

“I’m not impressed.

“My daughter and I agreed to scatter his ashes on the eighth but the council said the price is going up £36 – which is a big jump.”

Leader of the opposition at Hyndburn Borough Council, Peter Britcliffe said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful.

“The council said they have no money which is nonsense because they have £5million in the bank.”

Council leader Miles Parkinson said: “We don’t charge for scattering of ashes from Accrington Crematorium, but we’ve had to increase the fee for ashes coming from a different crematorium as the £14 didn’t cover our costs of receiving and handling the ashes, accompanying the bereaved to the Garden of Remembrance and recording the location of the scattering in our registers, this also brings us in line with other authorities charge.”