Vault memorial planned for Legacy funeral families

Candles and flowers left outside the premises of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, in Hessle Road, Hull, after police recovered 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes in March this year

An above-ground vault could be built to hold ashes discovered at the premises of a Hull funeral directors, officials have said.

It would form the centrepiece of a permanent memorial for families affected by the investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Ltd.

Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes from the company's premises following a report of "concern for care of the deceased" in March this year.

Hull City Council said it would share the initial designs for the vault with the families, who have previously called for an area of remembrance.

In July, detectives said 163 families had been linked to the ashes found during searches at sites in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road in Hull, and Beckside in Beverley.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the investigation, but no charges have been brought.

Families have been holding monthly vigils at the bandstand in Pickering Park, west Hull

A small number of next-of-kin have still to be traced. As a result, the design of the memorial should allow "flexibility" and include a storage vault, said Tracy Meyerhoff, the council officer who is leading work to support the families.

Ms Meyerhoff, the director of adult social care, said a flexible space would mean that if more families were found in the future, "we can reunite them with their loved one's ashes".

This would not be possible if the ashes were scattered.

A number of families have already been reunited with ashes and some have asked for the remains to be interred in the permanent memorial.

Unidentified ashes were also recovered from Legacy's premises and are likely to be interred at the memorial site.

'Safe space'

Council officials have told the BBC that the initial budget for the memorial is likely to be around £100,000.

Some members of families affected by the investigation had called for a permanent memorial to be built at Pickering Park, in west Hull, where monthly vigils have been staged.

However, it is likely to be built at one of the crematoriums in Hull or the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Angela Dearing, a director at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said "appropriate arrangements" would need to be put in place "for the longer-term security and protection" of the ashes, and this would not be practical in a public park.

In addition, the memorial needed to be in a place where bereavement services were available.

"Central to this is creating a safe and sensitively located space," Ms Dearing added. "Our families continue to remain the focus of any future plans."

Three questioned

In March, police investigating Legacy arrested a 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.

Last month, the 46-year old man was arrested again on suspicion of theft and making or supplying articles for use in fraud, while a 54-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences.

All three people were released on bail.

A 24-hour Victim Support helpline, on 0808 281 1136, has been set up for anyone affected by the investigation.

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