A WOMAN is 'shocked' at a crematorium's decision to remove a memorial plaque it once committed to keeping.

Margaret Hargreaves, who once lived in Trafford but now lives in Mobberley, visited Altrincham Crematorium last month to find her father's plaque was gone.

It was not the first time it had happened, either. Some ten years ago, Margaret had visited to find her mother's plaque had been removed from the crematorium.

The plaques, installed around 35 and 15 years ago respectively, were removed to ensure 'consistency', as the crematorium now only offers families a standard plaque in a standard location.

Margaret spoke to the manager of the crematorium at the time her mother's plaque was removed, asking for a commitment to keep her father's plaque as it had been there since the 1980s.

She said the manager agreed as it had been there so long and was inconspicuous.

But when the current manager of the crematorium removed her father's plaque, Margaret found him unwilling to live up to the crematorium's earlier commitment.

She said: "I was just a bit shocked, and I was even more shocked by his attitude."

"For someone in that line of business, as the manager of a crematorium, I just found his attitude very uncaring and unfeeling.

Margaret was not given an apology, and was asked if she had the commitment in writing - she did not.

She said: "It wouldn't have even crossed my mind.

"From a crematorium, I just would've taken their word as a bond, really. But clearly this isn't the case.

"I was extremely close, especially with my mother, and the plaque where her ashes were placed was like a headstone to me.

"Even if they'd left it there until the next generation of the family had died, it wouldn't have been so bad."

Margaret wants the plaques to be restored, but she acknowledges that it is unlikely.

A spokesperson for Trafford Council, which owns Altrincham Crematorium, offered her an apology.

They said: "We believe the memorial plaque in question was placed in the gardens over 30 years ago in an area of shrubbery and was therefore hidden under shrubbery.

"It only came to our attention recently when we were carrying out some landscape maintenance work.

"Unfortunately, Trafford Council doesn't allow families to erect their own memorial plaques in the gardens to ensure consistency.

"The plaque has been removed and is available for the family to pick up at their own convenience.

"Staff at Altrincham Crematorium always apply a sensitive and caring approach when speaking with families of the bereaved.

"If, on this occasion, it didn't come across this way, then we apologise."