A GRIEVING brother says he is unable to bury his sister's ashes in the family grave due to red tape.

Norman Greenhill says despite hitting a brick wall, he will inter the ashes at Taunton Deane Crematorium "by hook or by crook".

His nephew travelled to arrange Carole's cremation after she died in San Francisco last month.

But due to the impasse with authorities at the 'Crem', the ashes remain in a plastic container in his home.

Mr Greenhill said: "My grandmother Mabel bought the double grave in 1951 for family members.

"Other relatives have been buried there and we were expecting to inter Carole's ashes there.

"But the crematorium say we can't do that because the plot belongs to my grandmother.

"She died in 1979 and is buried there with her husband Harold, my mum Marguerite, who died in 2001, and my sister Diana, who died in 2004.

"I'm being told we can't use a family 'heirloom' for Carole's ashes.

"Me and my brother David are the only surviving family members connected to my grandmother.

"We're the next of kin. The ownership of the grave site should pass automatically to us.

"They said if you don't transfer ownership of a grave before you die, you can't bury family members there.

"But you don't know who'll die first, so you wouldn't leave it to someone else while you're alive."

Mr Greenhill said he was told by a crematorium official he needs to contact the solicitors who drew up his grandmother's will.

He added: "They're dead and their company no longer exists.

"I've got lots of paperwork, but I still can't inter Carole's ashes.

"It feels like Huckleberry Finn - we're walking along with a cart with my sister on and we're sent away.

"We've looked after the grave for 70 years and used to put flowers on the grave every Sunday as children.

"By hook or by crook I'll inter Carole's ashes there."

A Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) spokesperson said: “SWT has a legal process to follow when it comes to grave ownership which has been discussed with Mr Greenhill.

"There is a legal sequence of events regarding transfer of ownership of the Exclusive Right of Burial which must take place before he can bury his sister’s ashes.

"Our bereavement services team has been working with Mr Greenhill and advising him on the action needed to resolve this issue."