THE mum of Ella McCreadie says she believes she has been listened to after Ellesmere town and rural councillors approved a headstone memorial for her daughter.

Ella, who died from a brain tumour in 2022, is buried in Ellesmere Cemetery and her mum, Sophie Penrose, has commissioned a memorial headstone to be placed at the head of the grave.

However, the process has been delayed after a request from the committee that oversees management of the cemetery, in Swan Hill, for the memorial to be reduced by seven inches.

READ MORE: Ella's Army pays for Brain Tumour Research in teen's memory

This, say the family, has caused ‘a lot of stress’ to Sophie and her family but at the bi-monthly committee meeting at the town hall, it was agreed to approve the memorial as proposed, much to her relief.

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She said: “I feel like I’ve taken a big step to the memorial but it shouldn’t have come to this.

“I do feel listened to and that felt important but I also don’t think they had any grounds to not listen to me.

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me tonight to reach the conclusion we wanted.

“It’s a step towards closure and allow us to grieve for Ella too and we will have a monument to her for the rest of our lives.

“We’ve done so much with Ella’s Army, but we’re happy that it took this conversation to get it done.”

The meeting opened with a statement from current town councillor Amanda Weeks – present as a member of the public – who called on the committee to ‘not put this family through any more pain’ and approve the memorial.

Sophie, supported by around 20 people including both of Ella’s grandfathers Brian McCreadie and Neil Penrose, listened as people put questions to the committee.

One supporter accused the meeting of not having enough empathy for her but current mayor Councillor Graham Hutchinson replied to say they had worked hard to be sympathetic within the rules.

Cllr Hutchinson, once public session had closed, was first to speak and fully recommended the headstone be approved, stating that it was within the rules.

He was supported by town and Shropshire councillor Geoff Elner, who proposed the memorial headstone be accepted on the grounds of height.

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There was some discussion about kerb stones, with Sophie declaring her intention to include some around Ella’s grave.

However, she told the meeting she was unaware of the restrictions around them and said that if it was not possible, she would withdraw that part of the design.

But councillors will also review the regulations governing burials, after a motion from Cllr Anne WIgnall who said ‘more compassion was required’.