My Name is Michael Harland,(45) my long-term Partner of 18 years Marie Slevin (51) passed away on Fri. 16th Jan 2009 at Stobhill hospital from breast cancer, We have 3 kids, Marc(15) Shannon (12)and seana (18). On Sat 17th Jan we went to see the undertaker, Chris McLean at Alexandra Parade, Myself and my Wife's Brother Ralph and her Sister Maureen left having booked my wife's remains in to the church on the Tues for the funeral next day on Wednesday ,we left satisfied that there would be no backlog as he reassured us that everything was done and told us to relax as he said he was a professional, not the co-up, we then went to see the priest at All Saints in Barmulloch and he was ok about the booking, Everything was in place the flowers were booked for the church and the friends and family were told. I then received a phone call on the Mon 19th Jan, from the undertaker stating that there was no way my wife could be buried on the Wednesday because the gravediggers were too busy, this was 1 day before she was to go to church, I then explained that i had people coming from different countries and he told me i shouldnt have done that till i got the confirmation that he already gave. These people had already booked their flights and boats, He then phoned me to say they could fit her in for the Thursday at 10.30, as my own priest is away on Mondays we had to change the church to St Catherines on Lamont Road, for a 9.30 mass with father McDonald, this again was fine so when i phoned the undertaker to confirm he then said i was too late someone had taken the booking, we then went back to the priest to let him know, as we could not agree a time or date, father suggested we phone the undertaker to arrange a date and time suitable to everyone. This was agreed for Monday the 26th Jan at 9.30 mass for a 10.30 burial with Maries remains going into the church at 19.30 on the Tuesday. when I went to the parlour with friends to visit the parlour I noticed that there was a big scratch on the lid of her coffin. I phoned Chris to advise him of this and he said he missed it because he was half blind, I phoned to let Chris know that the hearse was to drive down to Ryehill road and stop to let the mourners get into their cars and drive behind the hears to Wallacewell road and stop to let the mourners walk behind and into the church, this was confirmed by the undertaker Chris. On the Tuesday night the hearse came and there was quite a lot of mourners, we then walked down Cardow Road turning right onto Ryehill Road, where he wanted to turn left this is where we planned to stop, i had to shout the undertaker to stop which he did, standing beside me at this time i told the mourners to get into their cars to drive to Wallacewell Road and vacate their cars to walk to the church, Marie's other sister Jeannette said that we will continue onto to the church without the other stop from Ryehill road, I then told the mourners this, when i turned back to look at Marie's hearse it was driving up the road at a good speed, I had to run to catch up but it was far too fast my kids were very upset. On the Monday after the funeral mass, at the graveyard in front of 200 to 300 mourners, the coffin was being lowered into the grave and the top of the coffin stuck, and she was standing up in the grave, the gravedigger said what do you want us to do now, and i said get her back out, we cant leave her like that, it was very distressing to everyone but especially my kids, we got her back out and she was left there on top of the grave till the mourners left the graveyard, then the undertaker said we were to go back to our cars, the gravedigger said we'll put a sheet over her to cover her, as we were leaving we could see the tractor heading to the grave, now i did not bury my wife, I did not see my wife laid to rest, that was done later with nobody about. . I asked the undertaker if he got the scratch off and he told me he got 90% off. This Has been a complete disaster from start to finish this is not the way to bury a loved one. I have not had any apology from the undertaker. And now the undertaker is taking me to court for the full amount.

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