A mass grave containing 303 bodies including hundreds of children and babies has been found in a cemetery in Oldham.
The unmarked resting place was discovered in Royton Cemetery and contains the remains of 145 stillborn infants, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults.
A woman from the local area made the horrifying discovery whilst searching for the grave of her twin brothers who died shortly after they were born in 1962.
The woman’s parents were sadly never able to say goodbye to their sons before they were taken away from them.
Shockingly, the 12ft by 12ft plot might not be the only mass grave in the cemetery. With local councillors who helped the unnamed woman make the discovery claiming there could be more in different sections of the cemetery.
The unmarked resting place was discovered in Royton Cemetery (pictured) and contains the remains of 145 stillborn infants, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults
Shockingly, the 12ft by 12ft plot might not be the only mass grave in the cemetery. With local councillors who helped the unnamed woman make the discovery claiming there could be more in different sections of the cemetery
It was common practise before the 1980s for stillborn babies use to be taken away from parents without any further detail of where they were buried.
Bereaved parents were instead told by medical staff that their child was buried alongside a ‘nice person’ that same day. However, babies were often instead interred in mass graves.
Over the past 20 years, the mass graves of babies have been found across the UK.
The adults discovered in the grave are likely to be ‘pauper’s burials’ for people whose families could not pay for a proper burial.
Local councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes released a statement regarding the ‘heartbreaking’ discovery.
The statement said: ‘It’s a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy.
‘We cannot change what has happened, but we can ensure that the babies born sleeping are named, recognised, and never forgotten.’
The Oldham Times, reported that a council meeting on Wednesday September 11 will discuss plans to erect a memorial to the buried children. Records and documents will also be digitalised for families to easily access them.
Royton Cemetery. Local councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes said: ‘It’s a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy’
In a statement Arooj Shah, the leader of Oldham Council, told MailOnline: ‘We understand this news will be upsetting for a lot of people and our thoughts are with them.
‘As a matter of urgency we will consider the suggestion being made and what may be appropriate to recognise those buried in Royton by providing a suitable memorial.
‘Our staff are here to support any families who think they may be affected.
‘This is not a newly discovered grave.
‘Sadly, the burying of people, including babies and children, in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all around the country years ago.
‘Thankfully, things have changed and improved over the years. The Government now pay for the funerals of stillborn babies and anyone up to the age of 18 if necessary. Public graves are no longer used.
‘Today, when a request is made for burial in a public grave, the arrangements are usually made by the relevant hospital via a funeral director. Often the hospital chaplaincy organises the burial or cremation of the individual.
‘The council cemeteries staff also works with the funeral director and carry out the expressed wishes. The hospital and ourselves keep records of the burial, which can be located by families whenever they want.
‘Alternatively, the family can make their own arrangements for burial in an individual grave plot via a funeral director and would install their own memorial.’