Eston funeral home appeal to return long-held ashes

Some of the ashes have been held since the 1990s

A funeral company is hoping to trace relatives of people whose ashes they have stored for up to 25 years.

Fawcett and Hetherington funeral directors in Eston says it is keen to ensure all stored remains are given an appropriate final resting place.

So far, ashes have been returned to a dozen families, but several urns are still uncollected.

Office administrator Danielle Fawcett has launched a fresh online appeal to find more relatives.

She said: "We need to get these people home. Resting with us is not the right place for them to be."

Staff at Fawcett and Hetherington say they want to ensure people are given an appropriate resting place

There is a strict order determining who remains can be handed to, beginning with the next of kin and moving to others if they cannot be found or do not want the ashes.

"We've had people who desperately wanted ashes that weren't able to have them as there are hoops to jump through in moving down that line," Ms Fawcett said.

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NFAD) estimates tens of thousands of unclaimed urns are sitting in funeral homes across the UK, with some held for decades.

Its guidance says cremated remains should be held for a minimum of five years and all reasonable efforts should be made to contact someone linked to the deceased.

If attempts to make contact fail, cremated remains could be scattered, interned in a local burial ground or cemetery, or returned to the nearest crematorium.

Fawcett and Hetherington is appealing for people linked to the following individuals:

• Angela Jackson, formerly of South View Terrace, North Ormesby, died September 2015

• Robert Martin, formerly of Trentham Avenue, Priestfields, died May 2011

• Eleanor Ingoe, formerly of Briarwood Nursing Home, Teesville, died February 2011

• Doris and Stanley Chapman, formerly of The Willows Nursing Home and Athol Street, Middlesbrough, died 2010 and 2009 respectively

• Patrick Boyle, formerly of Heatherfields Road, Bankfields, died March 2009

• Walter Tombs, formerly Ash Green, Coulby Newham, died 2009

• Edith Middleton, formerly of St Germains Lane, Marske, died February 2008

• Harry Silcock, formerly of Stafford Road, Grangetown, died 2006

• Mavis Todd, formerly of High Street, Eston, died 2006

• Joan Marston, died 2005

• Thomas Rutherford, formerly of Primrose Court Nursing Home, died November 2000

• Thomas Henry Atkinson, died 1999

• William Wilkinson, formerly of Cliff House, Marske, died 1998