Four-year wait for gravestone paid for by late dad
BBCA "heartbroken" family said they have waited almost five years for a stonemason to create a headstone paid for by their father before he died.
Liz Hare, 68, said she felt as if she had failed to fulfil her dad Pete Wilson's dying wish because his Darlington grave has not been completed as he would have wanted, after he paid £5,000 in 2021.
The family was told the initial delay was to let the ground settle and they said Craig Watson owner of Watson Memorials, stopped responding to their emails asking for updates.
Hare said the family had not had "closure" after their loss. Watson Memorials has been approached for comment.
She said: "Dad died thinking his affairs were in order and we haven't been able to fulfil that.
"We haven't been able to go and see what he wanted."
The family said despite sending numerous emails to Watson their last communication from him was in July 2025 informing them he would repay customers £500 a month until all the money was repaid.
"He tells you what you want to hear," Hare said.
The BBC has been unable to verify if any customers have been given back money.
Wilson's other daughter Debbie Blumridge said she was present when her dad signed the paperwork to have his memorial made.
"A few weeks before he died he arranged for Craig Watson to do the memorial stone for him and he got him to call round to go through the final details," she said.
"He sat there and he knew that my dad only had a short time to live and he still went ahead and took the money, assured my dad that his last wishes would be carried out and they never were."
Blumridge hopes that Watson will be held accountable and said he should repay all of the money he had taken from customers.
The family paid £4,000 to another memorial company in Darlington for a new headstone, but did not have enough money to complete the original design.
On social media many other families have claimed they paid for memorial services from Watson Memorials which were not fulfilled.
A spokesperson for Darlington Borough Council trading standards said: "We are continuing to try to engage with the company and work with them to help customers as best we can and get a resolution to their complaints."
Malcolm Hare, Wilson's son-in-law, said he felt for other families "knowing what we have been through".
"It has been devastating, Pete was promised this and had his mind set on this gravestone," he said.
"We can't get our money back."
