A FAMILY who wanted to be buried alongside each other when they died are being split up after being hit with a massive price rise for moving out of the area.

Malcolm Soulsby's relatives are all buried in Darlington's East Cemetery, in Geneva Road, but now his body and those of his sister and her partner, who paid for three plots nearby, will be buried in a different borough.

Although he was Darlington born and bred, Mr Soulsby's family has been charged nearly double the normal price to bury him, because he moved from the borough to Shildon, County Durham, four years ago.

The normal price for a Darlington resident is £395, however, this rises to £790 to inter someone from outside the borough.

Mr Soulsby's sister, Miriam Pattinson, and her partner Merv Bain are unable to afford the extra cost and so Mr Soulsby will be laid to rest in Shildon on Monday.

Ms Pattinson and Mr Bain both live in Aycliffe and have decided to give up the plot, as they too would have to pay the increased charges.

Darlington Borough Council has agreed to buy the three plots back.

Mr Soulsby's brother is buried next to the three plots and their parent and grandparents are buried close by.

Mr Bain complained: "It's so ridiculous, there's no reason for these extra charges.

"We weren't made aware of this when we bought the plots.

"It's hitting people when they're vulnerable.

"It's just the fact that we're on income support that we had to take a step back and think about it - there's no way we could afford it.

"We could have said go ahead with it and I'm sure some people would have done it."

The family has now paid £190 to have Mr Soulsby interred in Shildon.

A council spokeswoman said: "Interment charges depend on where the deceased was living at the time of their death, not when they bought a plot.

"Interment costs less for a Darlington resident because the cemeteries are subsidised by Darlington council taxpayers.

"Cemetery land is also at a premium and we want to ensure residents can be buried in the borough.

"It would be very difficult to implement any system of staggered charging depending on length of residency in Darlington.

"We are able to buy back plots that are no longer needed, for their original price.