A MOTHER was horrified to find her stillborn baby son's ashes had been dug up and moved by the local council without telling her.

Wirral Council moved Lisa Sullivan's son's plaque and 'redesigned' the baby garden at Landican Cemetery where he is buried, without asking her.

Ms Sullivan lost son to a stillbirth in 2001.

The ashes of her son, Luke, lie in the baby remembrance garden at Landican Cemetery, which is run by Wirral Council.

He would have turned 18 on November 13.

She said the 'awful situation' at the cemetery has added to her suffering.

The local authority has apologised and said it did not have the contact details of all the families with babies in the cemetery.

Ms Sullivan's son would have turned 18 on November 13.

She said: "It's just horrendous. To put all these parents through this turmoil.

"Another lady told me they bagged up her son's ashes 'sympathetically'.

"How can you drag someone's ashes up sympathetically?”

Wirral Council’s response to her complaints caused further upset. She believes they are fobbing her off.

She added: "I found out near the end of last week, but their office is closed on weekends, so there was no-one to speak to.

"I was eventually told that the stonemason has done this, but 20 to 30 plaques have been moved and we’re still waiting for them to go back.

"The council told me they don't know where my son's plaque is.

"There's nothing elsewhere, no information.

"We should be told what’s happening."

Ms Sullivan saved her final words for the other victims of the controversial council move.

She said: "There are lots of other people affected by this and they’re upset also. It's not only my family that are affected.”

Wirral Council’s Cemeteries and Crematorium manager, said: "Local group Wirral Light – who support families who have had the tragedy of losing a baby – have worked with us on improvements to the Baby Garden at Landican, along with other parent groups who have been involved in the design and creation of the new garden.

"Work on this started in early 2018.

"We understand the sensitivity of this work and have tried to contact all those families who would be affected by the redesign.

"Where we had the contact details we sent letters out informing parents of the work, also letting them know we would need to remove the memorial before relocating it within the new design.

"Regrettably, we did not have the contact details for a number of families and so tried to ensure any who visited the Baby Garden was aware of the need to remove the memorials on a temporary basis by placing notices within the garden and notice boards.

"All the soil within the previous beds where cremated remains were scattered was carefully retained and placed back within the new beds.

"Our contractor is relocating a number of plaques within the garden and has safely stored them until they can reinstated."