A local Queensland newspaper Areports that after  the heartache of losing his wife of more than 40 years to brain tumours early this month, Ken Stark never expected to be told he could not reserve the grave beside her.

Mr Stark’s wife Jennifer was laid to rest just one week ago in Lowood General Cemetery, where most of his and Jennifer’s family are also buried.

“It was Jenny’s dying wish to be buried near her parents, so I went to the funeral director and told him I wanted to purchase the plot beside hers,” he said.

“I was told it was against council policy to reserve any plots, so I rang Somerset Regional Council and was told that I couldn’t purchase the plot or reserve it.

“The person I spoke to said the best they could do was pencil my name in the surrounding plots around Jennifer, but there was no guarantee that the plots would not be used in the meantime.

The cemetery authority, Somerset Regional Council, does not issue pre-need burial licences. It does, however, encourage double depth burials.

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