An 81-year-old widow has been left distraught after discovering the headstone she paid to have erected for her late husband was installed in the wrong place.

Isabel Nicholson lost her husband Alexander two years ago when he died of a brain haemorrhage.

Grieving Isabel hoped the headstone would be put in place before what would have been the couples diamond wedding anniversary on October 2.

The widow from Redding, Falkirk, purchased a family plot in Polmont's Grandsable Cemetery after her 18-year-old son Scott died following a road traffic accident in 1984.

And when she heard her husband's stone had been placed earlier than she expected she visited the cemetery.

But Isabel was heartbroken when she discovered the mistake.

The headstone had gone in the middle area, between her late son's grave and where her husband's headstone should have gone.

She said: "I wanted to put his headstone down as a mark of respect, and because it is coming up for what would have been out diamond anniversary."

"I tried to buy the middle plot years ago, but I was told no, as the council said nothing could in between plots 473 and 474.

"There is only supposed to be space there for two lairs, not three, plus there was a tree in between the two, which the council said we couldn't take down."

But Isabel said the tree was recently dug up by the council after someone bought the plot behind Isabel's.

She added: "When they took the tree out, they desecrated my sons grave in the process

"They wouldn't let me take the tree out when it was just a wee twig 30 years ago, yet someone else comes along and wants to buy the plot behind and they take it down.

"The council told me its fine no one will go in the middle of your two plots, yet they went and put my husband heads stone there - in the wrong place."

Falkirk Council said they are satisfied there was "no error" made by them when dealing with Isabel's husband's headstone.

The authority has now agreed to rectify the mistake in the next few weeks.

But Isabel said it won't make up for the "stress" and heartache she has had to endure because of it.

A spokesman for Falkirk Council said that they have agreed to a way to bring the

He said: "We met with Mrs Nicholson on site and we have all agreed a way forward that will resolve the situation.

"We have checked our records and we are satisfied there is no error in our dealing with this request."