A GRIEVING widower has slammed council bosses after they sold the burial plot chosen as the final resting place for his late wife.

Malcolm Barratt, 64, of Hope Street, Darwen, said he was appalled that the plot he had specially picked out at Darwen Cemetery had been handed to someone else.

In a letter to Mr Barratt, Blackburn with Darwen Council apologised, saying “mistakes such as these are extremely rare”.

Mr Barratt’s wife of almost 40 years, Angela, 61, died on July 30, 2008, after a long battle against breast and throat cancer.

After a ceremony at Pleasi-ngton Crematorium in August last year, Mr Barratt waited to finally lay his wife’s ashes to rest in Darwen Cemetery.

But when he arrived at the designated plot surrounded by Angela’s elderly parents, his own elderly mother and one of his sons, he found that the burial plot he had chosen had been sold.

Mr Barratt said: “I was able to find another plot nearby but I only chose that one because I didn’t want to upset my family.”

Although the council has apologised in a letter to Mr Barratt, he wants more to be done about the mistake.

In a statement to the Lancashire Telegraph, Peter Hunt, director of regeneration and environment said: “We have written to Mr Barratt explaining and apologising for the change.

“I would like to take this opportunity again to express our regret over the distress.”