TWO grieving families’ “worst nightmare” become reality after a headstone destined for a stillborn baby’s grave in Poole Cemetery was placed on the wrong plot.

The elaborate black granite tribute to Kiarna Leigh Wheeler was put on the neighbouring grave of Toni Rose in the Forget-Me-Not gardens, which is specially for babies and young children.

Pregnant mum Cassandra Lody had the shock of her life when she visited the grave of the baby she lost stillborn in August 2011 at 16 weeks into her pregnancy.

“I thought I was going crazy,” she said.

The personal tributes and ornaments to her daughter had been removed from the tiny plot and pushed to one side and it was covered by Kiarna’s kerb memorial.

“It’s our worst nightmare,” said Kirsty Wheeler, who had cleared daughter Kiarna’s grave of ornaments in preparation for the memorial, which cost over £1,328.

Both sets of parents, who are friends and live on Turlin Moor, were left in turn reeling and fuming by the error, which caused floods of tears over the weekend.

“We feel bad for them and they feel bad for us,” said Toni Rose’s dad, Mark Preville, 36.

Kirsty, who is also pregnant, and her partner Charlie Gotobed, lost their daughter when she was stillborn at 28 weeks in July 2011.

“It’s almost like my baby never existed,” said Cassandra, 27, who is 32 weeks pregnant, and had a previous baby stillborn in 2004.

Richard Smith, sales director of Little Angels, a Northampton company which specialises in headstones and memorials for children, said his stonemason was “directed in” during a phone call with cemetery staff.

He said it was not unusual for graves to be left covered in personal items as grieving parents did not like to leave them bare.

He arrived in Poole yesterday to ensure the headstone was moved to the correct grave, that the writing was changed from gold to pink, as ordered, and said he had offered both couples recompense.

“It’s very upsetting for everybody and that’s why I’m here,” he said. “I am absolutely gutted that this has happened.”

Karen Fry, superintendent registrar, Borough of Poole said; “We are sorry to learn of this incident.

“The council regularly liaise with stonemasons to carry out this type of work and we are satisfied that our instructions were accurate and correct.

“We have been working with the contractor to have the headstone removed as swiftly possible in order to avoid further distress and we now understand this has been carried out.”