Police investigate London cemetery over fears of graves ‘disappearing’
Police have opened an investigation into Tottenham Park cemetery after human remains were found uncovered on the site by a group of campaigners who believe graves are being dug up illegally to make space for new ones.
Campaigners found a broken skull, shoulder blade and leg bones at the privately owned cemetery, while more remains were found by the Tottenham Park Cemetery Action Group. Police have confirmed that some bones found at the cemetery have tested positive as human remains, tests are still pending on others according to Scotland Yard.
Concern at the cemetery has been mounting with members of the action group (which is made up of the relatives of those buried there), complaining about a statue which was supposedly erected depicting two totally unrelated people buried at Tottenham Park.
Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece, a Liberal Democrat peer whose parents, brother, two uncles and cousin are buried in the cemetery, told media: “We are worried that just as some graves have disappeared our relatives’ graves will disappear. We want to be able to protect this place so our families are safe.”
A spokesperson for Scotland Yard, said: “Police will continue to liaise with local volunteer groups and the Tottenham Park cemetery to repatriate the bones, once confirmed as human, at the location as soon as is practicable,”
The Burial Act 1857 means it is illegal to remove a deceased body without a licence from the government or permission from the Church of England. The cemetery owned by an Essex-based company charges up to £4,100 per burial plot and is well-known as one of the largest Turkish-Cypriot cemeteries in the UK, with part of it leased as an Islamic cemetery.
