'You could see bones': families disturbed by erosion threat to graves

Families of people buried in graves vulnerable to coastal erosion say indecision over how to tackle the problem is causing them avoidable anguish about the final resting places of their loved ones.

- Matthew Weaver

North Norfolk district council (NNDC) has identified three church graveyards in the villages of Happisburgh, Trimingham and Mundesley as being at risk of being engulfed by the sea in the coming decades.

A recent report sets out a series of options from taking no action to exhuming remains and reburying them in safer locations. The council and the Church of England say it is for local people to decide how to proceed.

However, a lack of consensus over when and how to tackle the problem has left bereaved families frustrated and anxious. Frank Mason, 69, whose parents are buried in Happisburgh, said: “At the moment we’re in limbo. It upsets me. My parents wanted this to be their final resting place, but it isn’t going to be because of the sea.”

Projections suggest at least part of the churchyard could fall into the sea in the next 80 years, but Mason fears it will happen much sooner. “I think it’s got less than 20 years, if you look at what’s happened in the past 30 years,” he said.