Family's anger at funeral postponement

Marion Sharp's funeral had been due to take place at Parkgrove Crematorium near the village of Friockheim in Angus

A family has criticised a crematorium for cancelling their 91-year-old mother's funeral scheduled for the day the Queen is laid to rest.

Marion Sharp was due to be cremated near Friockheim, Angus, on Monday.

Her relatives said they had been told the service would go ahead as planned but were later told the crematorium would shut to mark the Queen's funeral.

The owners of Parkgrove Crematorium said they were closing out of respect for the Queen.

Owner Ken Parke said the family had been offered the chance to move the service to Tuesday instead.

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However, some of Mrs Sharp's family are travelling from beyond Scotland so moving days was not an option.

Much of Scotland is expected to come to a standstill on Monday as the Queen's state funeral takes place at Westminster Abbey in London.

As first reported in The Courier, Mrs Sharp's daughter Andrea Donald said she felt let down because the booking was made prior to the monarch's death and the crematorium had initially said the service would go ahead as planned.

She said: "We're all deeply upset by the Queen passing but we're also a family in mourning and everyone's grief should be the same, no matter where you stand in life.

"I get this is a massive thing in history but it seems unfair to people with arrangements - and I'm sure it is not just us that have to move their funerals."

'Mark of respect'

Mrs Sharp's family has now arranged for the funeral service to take place in a different venue on Monday and the 91-year-old will be cremated in Dundee later in the week.

Parkgrove Crematorium owner Mr Parke told BBC Scotland he had offered a "full apology" to the family.

He said: "We did not cancel, we asked, because of the circumstances, if it could be moved to the following day and this was communicated through the undertakers.

"I think the reason for closing on Monday is entirely right as we have to show our respect for this wonderful woman, our Queen.

"I was on holiday when the Queen died and when I got back I told the staff we would be closing for the day as a mark of respect and to make the appropriate arrangements."

Mr Parke said he told his staff on Monday evening that the crematorium would close for the Queen's funeral and then this was relayed to funeral directors on Tuesday.