A SON was charged extra to bury his mother with her late husband because she was not resident in the Redcar and Cleveland area for the final two years of her life.

Redcar and Cleveland Council has now apologised for the distress caused over the burial of Jean Leng’s ashes.

From Redcar, Mrs Leng died aged 84 and spent the last two years of her life at the Nunthorpe Oaks Care Home.

When her husband Herbert, known as Cala, died in 1987, she bought a double grave plot at Saltburn Cemetery.

When she passed away earlier this year, her son John planned on burying his mother’s ashes within his father’s grave.

However, Redcar and Cleveland Council charged him £75 on top of the £150 burial fee as Mrs Leng, a retired betting shop manager, from New Marske, was not living in the Redcar and Cleveland area at the time.

Mr Leng said: “I just couldn’t understand where the justification for that money was. It just reeked of blatant profiteering from people’s misery.

“My mum lived in Redcar for 82 years. It wasn’t her fault that she had to go into a home. She was a Redcar resident born and bred. She actually lived in the same house all her life.

“She moved to Nunthorpe Oaks Care Home two years ago - and the funny thing is the care home is just near Ormesby Bank, which is pretty much on the border of the Redcar area. There’s not a lot in it.

“The extra charge got me so mad. I can understand charging the £150 - someone has to dig up the grave and make the arrangements, but I just found the extra £75 completely unnecessary.”

Mr Leng, 47, from Marton, wrote to the council querying the charge but was told he was not getting a refund.

However, the council has since had a change of heart and given him the money back.

Mr Leng said: “I am appreciative of the fact they have refunded the money, but other people have probably had this same issue and not been refunded.”

A spokeswoman for Redcar Council said: “We are sorry if we have caused any unnecessary distress to Mr Leng at this time.

“We have considered this case carefully and ensure the matter will be resolved as soon as possible by waiving the additional charge.”