A WIDOW from Prescot has finally won the right to have a black gravestone placed on a her husband's grave following a nine month battle.

Sixty-one year old Jean Ullathorne from Carlton Street in Prescot, challenged St Mary's Church in Prescot after being told by Rev Tom Steel, that she could not use the black granite headstone she had chosen for her husband's grave.

Jean's husband, Fred Ullathorne, aged 61, died suddenly last April of a heart attack, and Jean had his ashes placed alongside her mother's, but when she applied to replace the existing headstone with one made of black granite, she was shocked to learn that Rev Tom Steel would not accept her plans.

The Reverend said black headstones were against parochial church council policy, even though Jean pointed out that there were several others in the graveyard. He said that the church was bound by a series of rules and regulations, in place since 1998, but Jean had previously been refused permission to put a black headstone on her mother's grave in 1995.

Since that ruling, Jean has been fighting to get the justice she feels her husband deserves. She initially appealed to the Diocesan Chancellor and collected more than 600 signatures in her support. Jean was then told she would have to put a notice up in church for other parishioners to sign if they objected to the headstone.

And last week, after no one had signed the form in objection, Jean was eventually granted permission to erect the black granite headstone.

Jean commented: "I am relieved that my mother and husband can finally rest in peace, but I am bitter that I had to go through all this trauma in the first place. I would like to thank Lionel Gornall and the people of Prescot who have supported me 100%. I couldn't have got through this without their help."