A FAMILY historian says she is "deeply saddened" after builders dug up a consecrated cemetery where her ancestors had a family plot. Barbara Whiteside has four members of her family buried at a cemetery in the grounds of the old Moor Hospital, which is currently being developed into luxury houses by Gleeson Homes. And she claims she is "angry and upset" that dozens of bodies and coffins have been removed from the site without anyone being told.

"There's been a complete lack of regard," said Barbara, who has thoroughly researched her Lancaster family history.

"I think they thought that, because it's more than 150 years old, no one would care. Half the job's been done yet nobody's been told. I would have loved to have been there to see a reburial but despite lots of enquiries I was completely stonewalled.

I know for a fact there are documents which show that there's a cemetery on that site. Why didn't anyone say anything? There should have been more research before the development went ahead."

A spokesman for Gleeson Homes, Damian Seddon, confirmed that many bodies and coffins had been discovered on the site in various states of decomposition.

He said: "We applied for a licence from the Home Office to remove the remains and didn't do any further excavation work on that site. Most of them were unmarked graves and we also found some coffins. We employed a specialist gravedigger and worked with the local authority's environmental health department. We have purchased a number of graves at Scotforth Cemetery and a local chaplain has conducted two burial services so far."

The Council's Environmental Health Chief, David Robinson, said: "The excavation has been done in a very delicate matter. It was hand excavated at a certain depth and the remains were put in containers. We did find two name plates which were badly corroded and set about finding out as much information as possible. We found out who they were and their names were entered onto a register. If it is confirmed to be consecrated ground then Gleeson will have to have discussions with the Blackburn Diocese.

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