Funeral home inquiry: service to mark anniversary

A memorial service for the families affected by an investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors will be held at Hull Minister

A memorial service will be held to mark the anniversary of a major investigation into a Hull-based funeral directors.

Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes from the premises of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in March last year following a report of "concern for care of the deceased".

Families affected by the inquiry have been invited to a service at Hull Minster on 6 March.

Two people, who were arrested last year in connection with the investigation, remain on bail.

The service will be held on an invitation-only basis and will be led by the Bishop of Hull, the Right Reverend Dr Eleanor Sanderson, and the vicar of Hull Minster, the Reverend Canon Dr Dominic Black.

Bishop Sanderson said: "We offer this service to support the families who continue to bear the distress and grief caused by the revelations one year ago.

"Our desire as a church has always been to offer all that we can from our faith tradition to seek to restore and uphold the dignity of those affected.

"I pray that the families who gather here will experience respect, love and care for themselves and each other, as well as for their loved ones."

Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which have been offering support to the families, said those unable to attend would be given an opportunity to light candles and write tribute messages.

In January, officers passed a file containing more than 13,000 exhibits to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will consider whether to bring charges.

A 46-year-old man was arrested on 9 March last year on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.

A 54-year-old woman was arrested in July on suspicion of money laundering offences.

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