1,000 relatives fear for bodies and ashes after arrests at funeral firm

THE bodies of 35 people and suspected ashes of several others have been recovered by police investigating cash-strapped funeral directors.

- Paul Jeeves

More than a thousand frantic relatives have phoned a hotline with concerns about Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull.

A man aged 46 and a 23-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful burial and fraud have been released on bail.

Assistant Chief Humberside Constable Thom Mcloughlin said the recovered bodies have "been respectfully transported to the mortuary in Hull and formal identification procedures are now taking place.

"In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes."