Mother's anger as memorial garden to brothers murdered by father is moved by developer

A mother whose children were murdered by their father while he called her on the phone is heartbroken that a memorial garden has been moved by a housing developer.

Undated picture of the sons, (from left) Callum, five, Joshua, seven, Daniel, three, and Thomas, six, who were killed by their father, farm labourer Keith Young, 38, as he committed suicide at a beauty spot near Llangollen, North Wales, by running a petrol lawnmower in the back of the family car. An inquest in Wrexham has heard Tuesday September 16, 2003, how Mrs Young, who now goes by the name Samantha Tolley, listened on the phone while her estranged husband killed himself and their four young sons. See PA story INQUEST Children. PA Photo.

Sam Tolley's sons - Joshua, seven, Thomas, six, Callum, five, and Daniel, three - died in her estranged father's car on the Horseshoe Pass near Llangollen 19 years ago.

Keith Young drove them from their home in Winsford, Cheshire, to the beauty spot. With a petrol lawnmower emitting fuel into the car, Young rang the boys' distraught mother to tell her what was happening.

The boys and Young were found dead in the vehicle.

A commemorative stone plaque as erected at the scene at a layby near the Ponderosa Cafe, while a memorial garden was also erected at Handley Hill Primary School in Cheshire.

Cheshire Council closed the school in 2009 and property developers Linden Homes were given permission to build houses. However Sam said that one of the key conditions was that the memorial garden was to be kept as part of the new development.

She said she was devastated that the garden had been ruined.

A spokesperson for Vistry Group, which incorporates Linden Homes, said a replacement memorial garden was being created.

They said: “A new memorial garden is being created, retaining the existing wall and incorporating Sam’s ideas, such as the inclusion of tractors within the design in tribute to her sons. There will also be an ornamental tree with a special memorial plaque, four more trees to symbolise the boys, and benches for people to sit and reflect.

"Currently the overgrown vegetation is being cleared as the land is prepared for work to start on the new garden next month, with the intention that Sam continues to be involved in this process throughout.”