The wife of a popular traveller whose family erected a huge 37-ton gravestone in his memory has responded to those who criticised the mammoth monument.
Willy Collins - known as the Yorkshire Traveller King and Big Willy - passed away at just 49 while on a family holiday to Majorca.
The dad-of-nine had made a name for himself as a bare-knuckle boxer and as a result was well known in the Darnall area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Last week his extravagant monument was unveiled in Shiregreen Cemetery and includes carved Biblical statues, a solar-powered jukebox, LED lights and Irish flags on poles, reports Yorkshire Live.
Some locals have branded the site an "eyesore" and disrespectful to others who have been laid to rest nearby.
The city council has confirmed, after some doubts, that planning permission was obtained - though the current structure does differ from the original plan.
Willy's grieving wife Kathleen shared a post of a news story confirming that planning permission had been sought.
She simply captioned it with three clapping hand emojis, a praying emoji and a broken heart.
Irish traveller family patriarch Willy's funeral was held in August 2020 and saw hundreds of mourners line the streets to pay their respects.
A procession of Rolls Royce cars and a horse and carriage accompanied Willy to his resting place in a extremely lavish send off.
Kathleen has recently spoken about her loss on Facebook, but also said she's "turned very bitter and angry" since her beloved husband's death.
The grieving widow said she has also been searching for someone "to blame" and said that she has become a different person.
In the heartbreaking post, Kathleen said: "Good morning everyone well I haven’t slept all night going over things in my head since I have lost my husband.
"I have turned very bitter and angry against the world as I keep looking for someone to blame, but the truth is god wanted him and I have come to the conclusion he’s never going to come back.
"Since he died I have become a different person I don’t want to get out of bed anymore.
"I have no interest in anything. I don’t cook or clean, just feel so lost without him and I’m so angry with the world and have let myself go very unhealthy.
"I know my husband loved me very much and he wouldn’t like to see me this way so I’m not looking for any pity has I’m not the only person who’s going through heartbreak.
"All I can ask is for you all to pray for me and my family from now on.
"I’m going to be counting my blessings instead.
"I have a good family and beautiful grandchildren and good friends god bless them and hopefully one day I will get back to myself as I feel like I’m living in a dream.
"Please pray for all the broken hearted has it’s a very evil world we are living in today to much hatred and badness has young people today have no respect for there elders all you can do is pray for them god bless you all [SIC]."
