A MASS grave of baby bodies has been discovered in a UK town just yards from the remains of nearly 300 tragic infants.
In September, a mass grave was discovered in Royton Cemetery, Oldham, Greater Manchester, containing the bodies of hundreds of babies and children.
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A second mass grave has been discovered at Royton Cemetery Credit: Steve Allen – commissioned by The Sun
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This comes after it was first revealed in September Credit: Steve Allen – commissioned by The Sun
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He was found lying against the southeast wall of the cemetery where the bodies of 145 babies, 128 children and 29 adults were discovered.
Now the second grave is located on the north wall, behind the chapel building.
It is yet to be confirmed how many bodies are buried at the site, which will be marked with a permanent memorial like other graves, according to Oldham Council.
Yesterday evening, a candlelight vigil was held in memory of those buried, and it was attended by families of the victims, as well as members of the wider community.
Family members and Councilwoman Maggie Hurley marked the newly confirmed grave with flowers and candles.
The graves were made as part of a common practice where stillborns were taken from their mothers, after being told their children would be buried with a “good person” in an adult grave.
Instead, babies were placed in cardboard boxes and buried in unmarked mass graves.
Parents of stillborn babies or those who die shortly after birth were not consulted about funeral arrangements before the mid-1980s, according to Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.
The organization said: “Prior to this, parents were usually not involved and many were not told what happened to their baby’s body.”
It added: “Some parents who have tried to trace the grave or cremation record of a baby who died some time ago have been successful.”
My little sister is buried in a mass grave in Oldham…my mum never saw her before she was abducted
In many cases, the charity explained, stillborn babies were buried in a shared grave with other babies.
Sands said there was a “general belief, both among professionals and in society at large, that it is best to carry on as if nothing had happened”.
It continues: “You may have been discouraged from talking about or remembering your baby and are discouraged from expressing your grief.”
The initial grave was discovered by a woman looking for her brothers, with one stillborn and the other dying within five hours of birth in 1962.
The final resting place measures just 12x12ft.
Of all the remains discovered, 146 were stillborn babies and 128 were babies and toddlers, according to councilors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes, who revealed the grim discovery in a statement.
‘DEEP SENSE OF LOSS’
Councilors said: “It is a huge injustice that parents are denied the fundamental right to bury their babies – a right that should be inherent and unquestionable.
“This situation should awaken our collective sense of fairness and empathy.”
They added that the woman who found the grave was left “in tears” after the discovery, which left her “feeling a deep sense of loss and injustice”.
She needed emotional and practical help to deal with the trauma of her discovery, they said.
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Oldham Cemetery Credit: Steve Allen – commissioned by The Sun
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Source: HIS Education