VIDEO: Funeral fiasco as digger is called in to force chapel doors

Relatives of 92-year-old former sailor Douglas Barratt were locked out of the chapel at Mexborough Cemetery for 40 minutes before the decision was made to use a gravediggers’ small JCB to prise the doors open.

Doncaster Council apologised for the incident, which happened after a council worker failed to arrive with the keys.

Relative Stuart Venables said it had been “very distressing” for the family to have to rely on such an unconvential way to get in, while Mr Barratt’s great-grandson Luke Barratt — who posted a video of the JCB forcing open the doors — described the situation as “quite shocking”.

Dave Wilkinson, from Doncaster Council, said: “We are very sorry for what has happened and will be making contact with the family to apologise in person.

“We are looking into this and will be learning lessons so this does not happen again.”

Video courtesy of Luke Barratt: