Horror as human remains exposed in Loughton grave exhumation

Neighbours of Loughton Baptist Church said they were horrified to see bones sticking out of mounds of earth, along with smashed gravestones and coffins this weekend.

The graves are being exhumed to make way for a family home on the High Road site for Reverend Wayne Dulson.

A condition of the licence for the work being granted was that the work must be shielded from public view, but in an email Rev Dulson said it was unsafe to leave a gazebo in place overnight and throughout the weekend.

Colin and Julie Hart, of Ollards Grove, said they were disturbed by what they saw.

Mrs Hart, whose home backs on to the site, said: “when I saw the remains I was so shocked.

“It is unacceptable. It is a total lack of respect.

“They had been covered by a piece of chipboard which had slipped away but what did they expect?

A smashed headstone lays in the dirt

“I am having to keep my children away from the back of the garden because if they knew what was going on they wouldn’t sleep in their rooms at night.

“The condition is to erect a gazebo and this is just disgraceful.”

Responding to public concerns, contractor Corvinview, which has reportedly already exhumed 27 graves from the site, said the remains were not visible when they left on Friday.

Director Jamie McGowan said: “any part of a coffin or remains that were witnessed at the weekend were not visible when we left site on Friday afternoon and were only exposed by the earth slipping away from the bank.

“We could not have foreseen this happening and it is the first time that such a slip has happened whilst we have been on site.”

In 2013 neighbours complained of being able to see 25 coffins, including some containing mothers with children, after they were exhumed to make way for a new playgroup building on the site.

Reverend Wayne Dulson refused to comment.

Rev Wayne Dulson has refused to comment on the exposed remains

Coffins at the site

Workers digging up graves