Repossessed, from beyond the grave: Stonemason removes couple's OTT headstone after family fail to pay £10,000 bill

A stonemason has 'repossessed' a headstone worth nearly £10,000 after the bill remained unpaid for more than three years.
Self-employed stonemason Andy Manuell, 54, went to the extreme lengths of tearing down the memorial when he was left out of pocket after chasing the family for payment for the ‘star memorial’ in Durrington Cemetery, West Sussex.
He was forced to pay debt collectors from his own savings and so has partially removed the 4ft high ornate grave for Francesco and Immacolata Isolda to try and ‘cause a reaction’ to motivate the family to pay up.

Extreme lengths: A stonemason has been forced to repossess this ornate gravestone, worth £10,000, after the family refused to pay

Mr Manuell of Worthing, Sussex said: 'I have been forced to pay out of my own savings to try and keep my business afloat.
'This was one of the biggest and most ornate graves I have ever made.
'£10,000 is a lot of money to be left out of pocket with when you're a small business.
'It would have been the star memorial in my brochure and it is easily the biggest in the cemetery.

Out of pocket: Stonemason Andy Manuell chased the family for payment for more than three years and has now partially removed the grave to 'cause a reaction' to motivate the family to pay up

'Star memorial': The headstone was one of the biggest and ornate that Mr Manuell had ever made

'I had no reason to think they wouldn't pay me but the situation has turned into a nightmare.
'The family had bought another gravestone from me previously and I had confidence in them.’
A notice was placed on the grave two months ago warning that it could be taken away and yesterday a mini crane was used to remove the headstone.
Mr Manuell said: 'I am hoping this will shock the family into seeing I am serious and they can't get away with ignoring me and not paying.'

On notice: A warning note was placed on the grave two months ago explaining that the headstone would be removed if no payment was received

Colleague Chris Groom said: 'I think Andy does feel guilty about this but he has given them every opportunity that he possibly could to pay.
'Andy is a really nice guy and he has given them so much time to actually deal with this.
A man claiming to be the daughter's partner at her address said the family had offered to pay and they could prove it.
They have since said they will pay in full next Monday. The headstone can be put back but the cost of dismantling it will be added to the bill.

Hope to shock: The stonemason hopes the extreme lengths of tearing down the headstone will shock the family and let them know 'they can't get away with ignoring me and not paying'