The work to exhume deceased at South Ayrshire’s largest burial ground will grind to a halt for 16 clear days over Christmas.
Grieving relatives will be able to visit their loved ones' graves at Ayr Cemetery over the festive period and into the New Year.
Work on the crisis hit extension will stop on December 23 when chief exhumer Peter Mitchell and his top team return home to England for Christmas.
The crew have been working tirelessly to complete the painstaking task of draining water from 126 graves.
The work has left relatives unable to access the extension which is deemed a construction site throughout the week.
The only days available for visiting since August has been a Saturday and Sunday, with exhumations and reburials taking place on specific weekdays.
Mr Mitchell told Ayrshire: “At some point on Friday, December 23 we are going to stop what we are doing and open the gates.
“That is so people can come visit their loved ones on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and we are going to be off site for a full 16 days.
“That is going to give families a full 16 days where they can visit and individuals can visit.
“We won’t be back on site until Monday, January 9. We’ll then revert back to the scheduled working days, with the gates opening on Saturdays and Sundays.”
Mr Mitchell has promised families that all equipment will be cleared and will look exactly the same as it did before although the site will still be fenced off.
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He added: “The graves look exactly as they looked before and we carry out works during the weeks but we reinstate those graves for Saturday and Sunday.
“We have tools and equipment which people can see around the edges but the actual grave areas are just as they always were. We think that’s a very important part of what we are doing.”
Last month Mr Mitchell exclusively told Ayrshire Live of the 'unique challenges' he and his team faced during the works.
It comes after council chiefs confirmed the works at both Ayr and Troon Cemeteries would last into next winter.
But Mr Mitchell defended delays insisting that the work won't be rushed and will "take as long as it takes."
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