Coronavirus: Former Hull factory to be turned into mortuary

The factory site was bought by Hull City Council last year

A former aerosol factory in Hull is to be turned into a mortuary as part of emergency measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

The McBrides site in the Sutton Fields Industrial Estate was bought by Hull City Council after it closed last year.

Twenty refrigeration units have been bought and coffins ordered to help take pressure off the area's hospitals.

Hull City Council leader Steve Brady signed off the plans under emergency laws to tackle the pandemic.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said documents outlining the decision stated officers would now be responsible for making sure the site has enough resources, including coffins, once it is up and running.

The documents stated: "To facilitate delivery of the scheme there is a need to purchase sufficient coffins to provide confidence in the sensitive management of the transfer of the deceased to the crematoria in each local authority area for commitment."

The mortuary plans have been approved to give Castle Hill Hospital and those operated by the Hull Teaching Hospitals Trust extra capacity for bodies.

Plans for the site are expected to cost more than £300,000.