A massive marble memorial featuring a solar-powered jukebox has been built without permission at Sheffield's Shiregreen Cemetery. The monument, honouring William Collins who died in Spain in 2020, is adorned with four Irish flags, CCTV cameras, and two life-sized statues of the 49-year-old.
According to the Sheffield Star, the tribute to the father of nine is made from Italian marble and weighs 37 tonnes. It includes a stone seat engraved with the word 'king' in gold block capitals. Videos of the memorial have garnered over five million views on TikTok.
Sheffield City Council said it is considering its next steps, as the memorial violates its rules. Bereavement service regulations state memorials must be under 3 inches (75mm) thick and no taller than 4.4 feet (1.35m), with prior approval required for materials and inscriptions.
Councillor Alison Teal, executive member for sustainable neighbourhoods, said: 'This memorial was built without permission and we are currently considering our next steps. We understand memorials are deeply personal, however we must have rules in place to ensure fairness.'
One visitor, Mandy Stratford, said she saw the memorial while visiting a loved one's grave and noted people were travelling to the cemetery to see it. 'I think it's beautiful. It doesn't offend me at all and I think it'd be a shame if they did take it down,' she said.
