Funeral firm’s boss ‘was out of country’

THE owner of a funeral directors in Hull was out of the country on holiday when concerns were raised about the care of bodies which has since become the subject of a major police investigation.

Director of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Robert Bush is understood to have been on holiday overseas with his daughter Saskya when whistleblowers raised the alarm about the condition of one of the bodies being kept at the main branch on Hessle Road in the city.

The bodies of 35 people and suspected human ashes have since been removed from the Hessle Road premises and taken to the city mortuary for identification.

Grieving relatives have spoken of their torment, and fear over what has happened to their loved ones’ remains, with one woman saying she believed she kissed an empty coffin at her father’s funeral.

Yesterday there were around 30 bunches of flowers laid in a row outside the branch on Hessle Road, which was the headquarters of the business. One message read: “RIP you beautiful souls”.

Police vehicles were in attendance and a cordon remained in place. A friend of a widow told The Times newspaper the body of her late husband, which was supposed to have been cremated, was discovered in the firm’s freezers eight months later. It said three generations of the family had been wearing jewellery they believed had been made from his ashes.

The family friend said: “The widow is distraught. The family thought they had his remains and are now asking, ‘If it’s not him, then who is it?’ They are now grieving again, they have lost that closure that a funeral gives you.”

Another man, Martin Stone, told the BBC he had been contacted by police, who said his mother Susan Stone’s cremation never went ahead. Mr Stone said the family were told they could pick up her ashes within a couple of weeks. He said: “If I had collected her, I’d have had somebody else’s ashes, it wouldn’t have been my mum.”

Police previously arrested a man, 46, and a woman, 23, on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position. The pair have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

The probe has fuelled concerns over the lack of regulation in the industry. Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management chief executive Julie Dunk said the vast majority did the job to the standard expected but “in a sector that is unregulated and competitive, there is room for standards to slip.”

She urged the government to consider regulation and inspection to ensure bereaved families can have faith in the system.

Robert Bush is listed as the sole director of Legacy. According to Companies House the firm is facing a "compulsory strike off " notice, because of overdue accounts. This is a public warning that Companies House will strike a business off their register if action isn't taken. Four other strike-off notices have been discontinued since January 2022.

The last accounts filed for the financial year to April 2022, showed Legacy had a £74,450 turnover, with a profit of just £5,060, and an average of two employees.

Legacy was approached for a comment.